Heartfelt advice from a close Israeli friend

'Always remember that America can turn its back at any time, and you need to strengthen your own capabilities.'

Ma Young-samThe author, former ambassador to Israel and representative to Palestine, is a research fellow at the Asiatic Research Institute, Korea University.

Israel continues conducting relentless attacks on its enemies. Many of their top commanders have been eliminated. Israel’s pager and radio bomb attacks in Lebanon and Syria magically sent the leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah to eternity, noticeably weakening their fighting power. One year has passed since the breakout of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023. Hope for a ceasefire grows in the international community to ensure the return of hostages and prevent further civilian casualties.

But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to call for “More offense!” The far-right wing in Israel sees this moment as a golden opportunity to crush the “Axis of Resistance” and, ultimately, strike a fatal blow at its core member, Iran. That’s a strategy apparently aimed at reshaping the balance of power in the Middle East to Israel’s favor before the U.S. presidential election.

On the Korean Peninsula, tensions have been deepening fast after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s abrupt definition of the inter-Korean relations as “being between two hostile states,” its drone and balloon infiltrations, signs of closer North Korea-Russia ties and particularly the dispatch of North Korean troops to the Ukraine war. In this context, what lessons does the war in Israel give us as we face our belligerent adversary, North Korea?

First, the capabilities of intelligence agencies have a significant impact in both preventing and conducting war. Israel’s intelligence agencies initially suffered a significant blow to their reputation due to their failure to intercept information on Hamas’s surprise attack. But this perception changed as top commanders of Hamas and Hezbollah in Tehran and Beirut were assassinated one after another, and in an extraordinary operation, pagers and two-way radios suddenly morphed into attack bombs. Although Israel — identified as the likely attacker — keeps silent, the Mossad’s legendary status remains intact.

One notable point here is that the Mossad strictly maintains political neutrality. There have been several Mossad chiefs who have held their positions for about ten years regardless of changes in the administration. The Mossad, responsible for foreign intelligence, works very closely with the domestic intelligence agency Shin Bet and the military intelligence agency Aman. In particular, the spy agency demonstrates its missions through actions, not words.

What about our intelligence organizations? Unfortunately, the public perception is that our intelligence agencies have wavered under political wind at each government change. In the case of military intelligence, the personal information of agents was even sold to a third country, showcasing how far things have deteriorated. It’s time to fully recognize — and fix — this disturbing reality.

Second, one of the causes cited for the outbreak of the Hamas war is Israel’s domestic political issues. Prior to Hamas’s initial attack, Netanyahu had introduced a controversial bill under the banner of “judicial reform,” which would allow Knesset votes to overturn Supreme Court rulings. This was apparently connected to Netanyahu’s own judicial risks from corruption charges. Public resistance erupted, with intellectuals, journalists, government ministers, ruling party figures and even soldiers joining the protests. Some analysts said Hamas had seized on this division to launch its surprise attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

What about our situation? The political sphere is still filled with constant disputes, including over security matters. Fandom politics and factionalism have completely disrupted the political landscape surrounding the ruling and opposition parties. A luxury handbag scandal has overshadowed pressing security issues. The public needs to be fully aware of these realities and stay grounded.

Third, military superiority protects a nation. Currently, Israel is carrying out simultaneous operations on seven fronts — and is not losing in any of them. This undoubtedly owe to its well-established military capabilities. Israel has cutting-edge fighter jets, missiles and electronic weapons. Top-notch personnel continue developing advanced weapons. The five-layered missile defense system has intercepted most missile and drone attacks. Recent exchanges of attacks between Israel and Iran clearly show that the balance of power has been broken in the Mideast. Israel neither confirms nor denies its possession of nuclear weapons, but if the rumors of the possession are true, they will serve as its last resort for survival. Jews, who live scattered across the globe, will also rush back to their homeland to join the front lines immediately when war breaks out.

Is our reality okay? How can we defend ourselves if North Korea simultaneously invades us with high-performance missiles, multiple rocket launchers, drones, fighter jets, submarines and special forces? Do we really have effective countermeasures against the 50 nuclear weapons North Korea reportedly possesses? Can we trust our ‘Three-axis Missile Defense System?’ Are our soldiers’ training and morale sufficient? These issues should be examined in depth, but our politicians are engrossed in fighting over irrelevant issues.

Of course, military superiority alone doesn’t guarantee peace. If we can maintain security without going to war, it would be the best But that pertains to the realm of diplomacy. At the beginning of the Hamas war, Israel — as a victim — received international sympathy and support. But after civilian casualties surged in the Gaza Strip, the international community began to turn its back on Israel. Particularly, the friction between the U.S. government and the Netanyahu administration over war issues is having a serious impact on Israel’s security.

Among the friends I made while working in Israel, there was one who dealt with intelligence matters. This friend often emphasized, “The stronger the Korea-U.S. alliance is, the more the enemy will fear and respect South Korea.” He stressed the importance of managing the alliance well. But when I was preparing to return home after my assignment, he cautioned, “While the alliance with the United States is crucial for South Korea’s security, you must not place too much trust in Uncle Sam. Always remember that America can turn its back at any time, and you need to strengthen your own capabilities.” That was heartfelt advice from a close friend as we were parting ways. In the midst of all the volatilities from North Korea’s advancement of its nuclear and missile capabilities, I often recall his advice as I contemplate what our options are.