James Stavridis, a former high-ranking leader within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), compared the recent Hamas attack in Israel to a "9/11 level event,"
relative to population, while also deeming the situation a major intelligence failure.
On Saturday, the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a surprise attack against Israel, with gunmen infiltrating the nation's border and dozens of rockets being launched against it. So far, the attack has resulted in an estimated 40 casualties, with the number expected to grow as the situation continues, the Associated Press reported. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that the country was at war with Hamas.
"We are at war, not an operation, not an escalation, a war," he said.
Stavridis is a former United States Navy admiral who notably served as the Supreme Allied Commander for the European operations of NATO from 2009 to 2013, during which time, he had extensive interactions with Israeli officials. He now serves as an analyst for a number of news outlets, speaking on various global defense subjects. On Saturday, he appeared on MSNBC's The Katie Phang Show to discuss the developing situation in Israel.
"First of all, it is an intelligence failure...I am shocked to see [this] on the part of the Israelis, who have one of the most vaunted intelligence services in the world, deservedly," Stavridis said. "When I was commander of U.S.-European command, Israel was part of my responsibility, military-to-military, so I know Israel extremely well...This really is reminiscent of the Yom Kippur War 50 years ago, almost exactly, when again, the Israelis were shocked by that war."
He continued: "So, point one, intelligence failure, got to take that apart in a very serious way. Got to also ask: where was U.S. intelligence on this? I think you're going to hear more on both those fronts shortly."
Stavridis also made a comparison to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City that occurred 22 years ago, calling this most recent attack from Hamas in Israel comparable in scale, when population differences are factored in. Israel currently has a population, roughly, of just under 10 million people. In 2001, when the 9/11 attacks claimed over 3,000 lives, the U.S. population was around 285 million.
"To us as Americans, in some way, these numbers sound kind of small, like, 20 people killed, or 40 people killed," Stavridis said. "I'd invite listeners to recognize that there are only 7 million Jews in the state of Israel, so, [on a] population adjusted basis, when 20 Israelis are killed, or 20 hostages are captured, that's like 1,000 Americans. So, if we get into 60 Israelis killed, we're looking at truly a 9/11 level event, and I think that number's going to be well above 60."
Newsweek reached out to foreign defense experts via email for comment.
In response to the attack, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin pledged support to ensure Israel "has what it needs to defend itself."
"Over the coming days the Department of Defense will work to ensure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself and protect civilians from indiscriminate violence and terrorism," he said in a statement.
In response to an inquiry from Newsweek, Rajan Menon, a global conflict expert with Defense Priorities, emphasized the severity of the attack and the uncertainty it portends for the future
"This is the most serious attack Israel has faced inside its borders since 1948 and the IDF, Shin Bet, and Mossad will surely come under intense scrutiny for having been blindsided," Menon wrote. "Plus, the pro-democracy protests against Netanyahu's coalition will be sidelined—at least for a time. But when the guns cease firing we'll be left with the larger question: If a one-state solution is infeasible for want of support among Israelis, and a two-state solution is now a mirage given the number and locations of Jewish settlements on the West Bank, what does that leave for the future aside from recurring cycles of violence?"
Updated 10/7/2023, 6 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Menon.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more
To read how Newsweek uses AI as a newsroom tool, Click here.
