Can Israelis stomach another war?

It was late in 1997 when I got to a small military base on the border between Israel and Lebanon. Straight out of training, my welcome to the base involved sitting in the war room wearing a helmet and a bulletproof vest, hoping that the barrage of rockets flying over our heads, courtesy of Hezbollah, wouldn’t hit.

It was time of constant clashes with Hezbollah in south Lebanon. Casualties were commonplace. I’ve been to too many funerals and have seen too many parents bury their sons – my friends, peers and brothers in arms – than I’d care to remember. It was also a time when the Israeli public grew tired of Israel’s long presence in Lebanon. The war was attritional and there were many casualties. Protest movements emerged and people were wondering whether winning was worth its price. All of this led to Israel’s hurried withdrawal in May 2000.

Nearly a year into the war against Hamas, with the terror organisation now on its knees, Israel seems determined to direct its resources to fight Hezbollah once again.