The first is that Israel’s leadership in recent decades has tended toward an administrative and operative approach. That is to say, providing an administrative response in the form of a governmental plan of action and monetary investment. A problem rooted in nationalist-religious hostility, however, can’t be handled in the familiar and comfortable administrative fashion.

The second is that the government is blindly adhering to the Western assumption that all people strongly aspire to improve their quality of life, and that money can fix anything. An eternal nationalist struggle can also be solved, supposedly, with economic enticements. In recent decades, however, the US gospel about spreading the light of democracy has been thoroughly repudiated.

Despite investing a vast fortune in Iraq and Afghanistan, the reality on the ground indicates the existence of counter-forces that don’t genuflect before the altar of American prosperity. Despite this, Israeli society and its leaders continue clutching to the promise of American wealth and prosperity as an answer, as if this embodied the human essence.

The time has come to acknowledge that Israel is still fighting its war of independence in the Negev. The Israeli government and the country’s security forces, including Israel Defense Forces units and all security agencies, must engage in a comprehensive and sustained campaign. Such a campaign would comprise economic dimensions as well, but these must integrate with a broad security effort over the long haul.

Maj. Gen. (res.) Gershon Hacohen is a senior research fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies. He served in the IDF for 42 years, commanding troops in battles with Egypt and Syria. He was formerly a corps commander and commander of the IDF Military Colleges.

This article first appeared in Israel Hayom.