Last August (2015) the orders were made even tighter, mandating soldiers in Judea and Samaria to only fire in the air, and not even shoot the lower extremities of an attacker other than in extreme cases of imminent life-threatening danger. In May, it was reported that IDF soldiers were told to avoid killing terrorists, even if they spot them as they are about to throw a potentially lethal firebomb or rock at a car. 

But Eizenkot argued the orders don't need changing on Wednesday, and went on to disparage a famous Talmudic maxim on self-defense. 

"The IDF cannot speak in slogans like 'when someone comes to kill you – kill him first,'" he said, citing the dictum. Eizenkot also dismissed as a "slogan" the following: "everyone holding scissors must be killed." Arab terrorists have conducted numerous lethal stabbings with scissors during the recent wave of attacks. (IsraelNN)

In 2002, we voted for right-wing hawk Ariel Sharon, and ended up with sneaky leftist extraordinaire Shimon Peres.

In 2009, we voted for Netanyahu, and got Ehud Barak as Minister of Defense. As far as I am concerned, Barak still has to answer for all of the religious soldiers going to their deaths in Southern Lebanon. I have no doubt he would claim not to know what I am talking about.

In 2022, after three previous, useless elections, we voted Netanyahu back into power. He formed a "right-wing" government with 64 out 120 seats in Knesset (parliament), and we end up with Benny Gantz and Gadi Eizenkot.

מתן כהנא Matan Kahana

Let us not forget MK Matan Kahana, now in Benny Gantz's aptly named Mamlakhti Party. In addition to it literal meaning state- or nationally-related, mamlakhti is a term used to describe those Religious Zionists who, to varying degrees, are confused about the differences between Torah Law and secular Israeli Law. Remember Matan Kahana? As Minister of Religious Affairs, he attempted to implement programs to water down Judaism, and call it Torah. Fortunately, he was only partially successful.

I expect that Kahana will be lauded as a hero after the war, perhaps even during. Due to his experience as a fighter pilot, he will no doubt be consulted on military strategy. The last person we need with increased power is Matan Kahana.

אלעזר שארן Elazar Stern

Fortunately, MK Elazar Stern (right), the former IDF personnel head who ran logistics for Sharon's Disengagement Expulsion plan of 2005, will not be entering this government, at least not until Yair Lapid has a change of heart.

Sure. You will say that is how a parliamentary government works. And I will respond with "how convenient."

Restrictions are already creeping into the north of Israel, where we, unfortunately, expect the worst from Hezbollah only a hop, skip, and a jump away in Southern Lebanon.

But while no one is look, expect more leftist policies to be implemented. I do not believe for one second that this emergency government will be only temporary.