While the IDF has until now been planning for strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, 5783 could see it having to adjust to a concrete nuclear threat
he year 5782 was a difficult one for the chareidi community. A number of gedolei Yisrael passed away, some without warning: Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Shalom Cohen, Rav Yitzchak Tovia Weiss, to name a few. We also lost some exceptional personalities, like Rabbi Uri Zohar, Benny Fishoff, and Rabbi Zecharia Wallerstein. There were other tragedies, too, including several horrendous traffic accidents.
The Bennett-Lapid-Lieberman government — expected to breath its last in about two months — imposed a number of new taxes seemingly tailored to hurt the chareidi community, targeting such products as disposable silverware and soft drinks.
It was a tough year on the security front as well, characterized by a series of terror attacks in Jerusalem’s Old City, alongside other incidents. The Iranian nuclear project continues to advance by leaps and bounds and is set to be the primary security challenge of 5783. If it hasn’t already, Iran expected to hit the nuclear threshold during the course of the year. With a new nuclear deal — and Iran is practically already there, even if no deal is signed — the ayatollahs’ regime can choose when to take the remaining small steps to their first atom bomb, and when to reveal it.
The consequences would be dramatic: While the IDF has until now been planning for strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, 5783 could see it having to adjust to a concrete nuclear threat. That massive shift would require reevaluating operational concepts, finding the right balance between offense and defense, and upgrading intelligence-gathering and cyber activity as well as combat readiness. In his first year as chief of staff, Herzi Halevi will have to make a decision about next-generation IAF fighter squadrons, likely based on an updated variant of the F-15.
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