The Hidden Lesson of Israel's Iran Victory
Israel’s victory over Iran was not just a triumph of military strategy—it was a testament to democracy and moral clarity. In a region plagued by autocracy, it is Israel’s enduring commitment to freedom, pluralism, and the rule of law that gives it the resilience and strength to prevail.
Photo by Aharon Krohn/Flash90
This past June, in a devastating surprise attack on a country seventy times its size, Israel, managed to destroy much of Iran's nuclear program over the course of 12 days, eviscerate its air defenses, and demolish much of its ballistic missile capabilities.
How was Israel able to do this? The old saying that "success has many fathers" definitely applies. This campaign was made possible by years of planning and training by the IDF, the Mossad, and the other intelligence agencies, and by a bold political decision to put these plans into action. But there is a hidden 'father' to this astounding success: Israel's commitment to western democratic values—in a region deeply hostile to those values—is the x-factor that gives the Jewish state the competitive edge it needs to thrive in a dangerous neighborhood.
Both Israel and Iran are proud nations with roots in their homeland that go back thousands of years. Both are non-Arab civilizations in the Middle East, and both are societies that prize education and science. Yet Israel, a country of 10 million people and few natural resources, was able to build a modern economy with a GDP of $513.6 billion and field one of the most powerful militaries in the world. While Iran, a country of more than ninety million people with one of the largest oil and gas reserves in the world, has a GDP of only $404.6 billion and a dysfunctional army that relies mainly on ballistic missiles and proxy armies to terrorize its neighbors. How was tiny Israel, worn down by almost two years of war, was able to deal such a significant blow to Iran, a vast country 2,000 kilometers away, in less than two weeks?
There are many factors at play here, but just like the famous nighttime satellite images of a darkened North Korea and a brightly illuminated South Korea, the basic explanation is straightforward: Israel is a free democracy, while Iran is an oppressive theocracy. Despite its many imperfections, Israel is characterized by strong democratic institutions, a deep-seated drive for excellence, and an addiction to freedom. While Iran, despite its illustrious past and the enormous talents of its people, is a corrupt and blinkered dictatorship that stifles freedom and thwarts innovation.
This is not to say that Israeli democracy has always been perfect. Yet Israelis, against all demographic and geostrategic odds, have demonstrated a strong commitment to democracy over the last eight decades. Israel has free and fair elections. A thriving free press. Vociferous protests on all sides of every issue. And an independent judiciary that serves as a check on executive overreach and a guarantor of individual liberties. Iran has none of these, and the fundamental illegitimacy of the present regime robs the country of its greatest asset: the Iranian people.
The contrast between Israel and Iran played out in several ways over the course of the war.
Israel is a country and society that its people want to be a part of, are committed to defending, and are willing to sacrifice for. During the war, while the highways surrounding Teheran were packed with Iranians rushing to escape, Israelis stranded abroad – many of them also reservists wanting to return to their units – were seeking any available route by air, land or sea to get back home to their country. The same thing happened in the days and weeks following October 7th.
Moreover, among the heroes of the strike on Iran—and of many of the other successes of the current war, from the 'beeper attack' to the bombing of Nasrallah’s bunker—were some of the government’s most vocal critics in the months leading up to the war. The much-maligned pilots of the Air Force, spies of the Mossad and techno-geniuses of Unit 8200, who formed the backbone of the protest movement against the judicial overhaul, are the ones who concocted the brilliant plan to destroy the Iranian nuclear program. When their country was under attack, they rallied to its defense, notwithstanding their differences with the current government, which they know can be replaced in the next election.
Iran is exactly the opposite. Behind the charade of democracy—with regular elections, a parliament and a court system—is a dictatorship in which all decisions of consequence are made by the Supreme Leader. Given the utter lack of respect for human rights in Iran, the discrimination against women and minority groups, the cruel and oppressive manner in which the regime silences dissent, and the pervasiveness of government corruption, is it any surprise that the regime turned out to be thoroughly penetrated by an enemy intelligence agency? Despite years and billions of dollars of investment in its military, intelligence, nuclear research and technology, Iran turned out to be a paper tiger armed with ballistic missiles and little else. At the end of the day, a regime dedicated to oppressing its people is no match for a free society.
Israel’s democracy is its greatest national security asset. Which is why responsible Israeli leaders should be extremely wary of populist initiatives that threaten to undermine national solidarity or weaken democratic institutions. The judicial overhaul of 2023 can now be seen for what it was: a reckless roll of the dice that Israel could ill afford. It would be the height of folly to pursue such initiatives in the wake of the war. Similarly, proposals by some members of the current coalition – including ones still being advanced during the war – would set Israel on a dangerous path towards a messianic Jewish theocracy. That would be damaging in so many ways, not least by weakening Israel’s national security.
The impressive victory over Iran could mark a turning point in Israel’s relations with the region. Despite the difficult moment we are at with the war in Gaza, new peace treaties countries throughout the Muslim world, and even a new chapter in Israel’s relationships with its Palestinian neighbors are all in the cards. But this is also the time for Israelis to turn inward. If we do not safeguard our democracy, we risk losing the internal sources of strength that have enabled Israel to bounce back from an awful tragedy and triumph over its enemies on the battlefield.
This article was published in the Times of Israel