By Philip C. Johnson
January 28, 2026 – Little Elm, Texas
In the span of a week in Israel, I sat down with two profoundly different voices shaping the nation’s future: retired Major General Amos Yadlin, a legendary figure in Israeli defense, and Gershon Baskin, a lifelong peace activist with unofficial backchannels to Hamas. Their perspectives could not be more contrasting—one rooted in hard-won military realism, the other in persistent dialogue. The two articles I wrote about these men can be found HERE and HERE. But now, I wanted to provide some of my own thought and insights to the responses they gave me. As I reflect on our conversations—just as fresh developments today underscore their urgency—I find myself deeply admiring Yadlin’s clarity while harboring serious reservations about Baskin’s approach. Both interviews highlight a stark truth: Israel’s survival demands more than ceasefires; it requires decisive action against existential threats.
The Clarity of a Warrior: Admiring Amos Yadlin
Meeting Amos Yadlin in Tel Aviv, overlooking the scarred Kirya defense complex, felt like stepping into history. Here was a man who helped destroy Iraq’s Osirak reactor in 1981 and Syria’s in 2007—pilots who literally altered the Middle East’s nuclear landscape. His analysis of the current Gaza ceasefire’s Phase 2 was sobering and precise, and today’s headlines only amplify its relevance.
Yadlin described Phase 1 as executed “almost to the point,” with clear timelines and withdrawals. Phase 2, however, is riddled with ambiguities that allow Hamas to retain light arms under a “legitimate” facade, potentially mirroring Hezbollah’s model in Lebanon. The announcement today of the recovery of the last remaining hostage’s remains in Gaza—a somber milestone—removes a major emotional and political hurdle and clears the path for fuller Phase 2 implementation, including potential reopening of the Rafah crossing. Yet, as Yadlin warned, it does not resolve the core disputes over demilitarization and governance. He outlined scenarios ranging from minimal compliance to forced escalation, but his bottom line was unequivocal: letting Hamas rebuild is not an option. “Seven of October will never happen again.”
What struck me most—sharply and surprisingly—was Yadlin’s candid dissection of October 7 as a “tri-lateral failure.” Israeli intelligence possessed Hamas’s detailed blueprint, code-named the “Jericho Wall,” as early as 2018. They had the plan, reviewed it multiple times in subsequent years, yet dismissed it as aspirational due to cultural rigidity and misplaced priorities. This revelation is enlightening and infuriating: a preventable catastrophe born of hubris.
I share Yadlin’s frustration that Phase 2 may fall short of fully dismantling Hamas. History repeats in painful cycles—Hamas attacks, Israel responds forcefully (often beyond what world opinion tolerates), a ceasefire halts the momentum, and Hamas rebuilds for the next, deadlier round. President Trump’s blunt warning to Iran today—demanding a nuclear deal or face attacks “far worse” than before, with a “massive armada” reportedly heading to the region—directly echoes Yadlin’s view of Iran as the central strategic threat, financing and arming the region’s “bad guys.” Yadlin’s realism extends to rejecting “absolute victory,” noting that total defeats like 1945 are no longer acceptable in our era. In this neighborhood, that’s a tragic constraint, but his call for sustained deterrence rings true.
The Limits of Dialogue: Questioning Gershon Baskin
In Jerusalem, Gershon Baskin presented a starkly different vision. As an unofficial mediator who facilitated the 2011 Gilad Shalit exchange and contributed to the 2025 ceasefire, Baskin has built extraordinary contacts with Hamas leaders. He insists on pragmatic engagement, viewing Hamas as “decimated” and advocating a technocratic governance transition backed by Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt.
I admire Baskin’s ability to hold multiple perspectives—Israeli security needs alongside Palestinian aspirations—and his mantra: two peoples, one land, no escape, only two states with security and freedom for both. Yet this feels like classic peace activist idealism that history has repeatedly debunked. Palestinians have rejected two-state offers multiple times, from 1937 to 2008. Hamas’s charter and actions demand Israel’s destruction, echoed by Hezbollah’s longstanding vow to eliminate the Jewish state.
The proposed technocratic setup raises alarms. Qatar hosts Hamas leaders and funds them; Turkey under Erdogan openly supports Hamas as “freedom fighters”; even Egypt, while mediating, has complex ties that have enabled smuggling. These are not neutral partners—they’re pro-Hamas from the start. Baskin acknowledges Hamas’s distorted ideology but seems to downplay its deep roots in sanctifying martyrdom and rejecting Israel’s existence. Dialogue has value, but without dismantling the threat, it risks perpetuating the cycle Yadlin warns against—especially now as Phase 2 gains momentum amid today’s hostage recovery and persistent ambiguities.
Prophetic Echoes in a Time of Faux Peace
Watching these dynamics unfold—today heightened by the final hostage recovery, advancing Phase 2 efforts, and escalating U.S.-Iran confrontation—I can’t help but see echoes of biblical prophecy. Could this tenuous ceasefire, with multinational involvement in Gaza’s reconstruction, economic incentives, and perhaps new Israeli leadership in 2026, herald a period of deceptive calm? Ezekiel 38 describes a future invasion of Israel living securely in “unwalled villages” (Ezekiel 38:11), a people at rest without gates or bars. Chapters 38–39 detail the Gog-Magog battle, where nations turn against a restored Israel.
We see precursors: surging global anti-Israel sentiment, disturbingly even among younger Americans and infiltrating evangelical churches. In the U.S., extreme unrest over immigration enforcement—anti-ICE protests often fueled by well-funded groups, including foreign-influenced networks—mirrors broader chaos.
Yet amid today’s volatility and uncertainty, God is not absent. He promised Jesus’s return: “This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). As horrific losses mount and futures remain unclear, this assures us: He is orchestrating His plan for the Second Coming.
Be informed, live urgently, but rest in peace—He reigns.
The Global Nexter 