Israeli War Hero Speaks Hard Truths About the Gaza War

‘You have to shoot and eliminate and destroy. It’s either us or them,’ says retired Israeli Brigadier General Avigdor Kahalani.

Israeli army soldiers patrol at an undisclosed position in northern Israel, near the border with Lebanon, on Oct. 15, 2023. Photo by Aris Messinis/AFP via Getty Images

A half-century ago, Avigdor Kahalani distinguished himself in desperate times for Israel, times as desperate as those today.

In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Syria and Egypt’s surprise attack on the most solemn Jewish holiday left Israel reeling on a day when the country virtually shuts down.