by Rabbi Yair Hoffman

1200 Dead, Rachmana litzlan.  2400 wounded and 130 kidnapped including an 85 year-old grandmother.  All of Klal Yisroel is in tears. The entire nation of Israel and their Jewish brethren across the world in a state of despair. Hezbollah has attacked as well, and the enemies of Israel are handing out candy in celebration.

Our response should be, as Rabbi Yaakov Bender shlita stated in a gathering in the White Shul this evening, “imo anochi betzara.”  We should refrain from trips, purchases, and excess eating.  We should daven and say tehillim – there are hostages rachmana litzlan.

What should Israel’s response be?  Just declaring war will not do the trick.

I would like to humbly suggest that there is an approach that could work, and it lies in the American model in the aftermath of the second World War. How did the United States deal with a nation that grew up under the dark leadership of the villainous tyranny of the Nazis? The answer? Believe it or not, it was the policy of DeNazification as implemented by the now little known, General Lucius Clay.

General Lucius Clay should become a household name.  We should study how he accomplished what he did and implement it fully. Also, if we highlight his success and underscore our commitment to copy the plan, the United States may back the plan – including the utter and complete defeat of Hamas.

What did DeNazification involve? Firstly, it involved accepting nothing less than unconditional surrender, and then the stopping Nazi newspapers and broadcasts. But it primarily involved a combination of implementing what is known as the carrot and the stick.

The idea was, after the defeat of the Nazi regime, to eliminate the scourge of Nazism and its vile philosophy through trials, prosecution, and replacement. The lists of Nazi party members were obtained.  Every German citizen was categorized into one of five categories: Major Offenders, Offenders, Lesser Offenders, Followers, and Exonerated Persons.

Major offenders were either sentenced to death or to prison for many years. Textbooks were rewritten, censorship was applied. Nazi imagery was made illegal. In short,– an end was put to the Nazi hero-worship.

And then there was the carrot. Millions of dollars were poured into education, and industry. Germany’s national infrastructure was rebuilt and modernized. Mercy and moderation was given to lesser offenders and followers.

After the Nazi defeat, General Lucius Clay oversaw the entire program with remarkable impartiality. But more than this, he cared for the well-being of post-war Germans. When the USSR blockaded West Berlin, it was General Clay who orchestrated the Berlin Airlift.

What were the results? Germany once again rejoined the family of nations. It became one of the strongest democracies in Europe and a supporting member of NATO. They have also been a strong United States ally since the end of DeNazification and they have been very supportive of the State of Israel.

Germany recognized the debt of gratitude that they owed to General Lucius Clay. He was given an honorary doctorate from the Frei Universitat of Berlin, became an honorary citizen of Germany in 1953 and even had one of the longest streets in Berlin named after him. Germany appreciated what he had for her.

The modern parallel to DeNazification is something that can be called “DeTerrorization.”

Previously it may not have worked – but the horrific attack on innocents, the bloodthirsty attacks, and the kidnappings are so beyond the pale of human behavior that the world will accept the defeat of Hamas and “DeTerrorization” now.

Israel should immediately enter Gaza now and engage in removing Hamas entirely.  Nothing less than unconditional surrender.  It involves neutralizing Hamas terror and military capability and simultaneously use existing technology to jam all internet, phone, and inciteful radio and television broadcasting.

This program like that of General Clay, would also implement both the carrot and the stick in Gaza. Support for terrorism and the hero worship would come to a complete end. The textbooks calling for the killing of Jews and the destruction of Israel would be eliminated.  In short, anyone with a background of support for the killing of innocents or for other terrorist acts would be removed form any position of leadership.

They must be replaced with a new crop of leaders comprised of those untainted by terrorism.

And then comes the carrot. A new infrastructure would be built and new system of education would be developed. Medical schools, schools for emerging technologies and a Palestinian silicon valley.

But rebuilding Germany without the program of DeNazification would have been fruitless and indeed counter-productive. The same is true with De-Terrorization. One cannot build a new infrastructure for a people that on a second’s notice will form an alliance with a terrorist organization. One cannot build a relationship of peace with those who support such bloody murders.

It is time to completely knock out Hamas and all organizations like it. It will be a politically difficult decision to make, but it is the only manner in which a lasting peace can be forged.  In the past 18 years, this author has presented this idea to generals, friends of former Prime Minister Arik Sharon, military experts from Israel and others as well, having introduced them to General Lucius Clay.  The general response was that it was a good idea but politically difficult unless there was a political openng to do it.  If ever there was a time – this is it.

This idea was presented to Rav Zalman Nechemya Goldberg zt”l who was very much behind the concept.  The halachic explanations and rationales will be discussed, b’Ezras Hashem in a future article.

And for all the naysayers who ridicule the idea, what are the other choices?  Bomb them and stop and have the world force a ceasefire?  Only to let them regroup and do it all over again?  Isn’t there a chance that the Biden administration will accept the endgame plan and not force a ceasefire so Israel can finish the idea?

The author can be reached at [email protected]