A good friend of mine has forwarded a WhatsApp message about Israel's development of a laser weapon, highlighting its many technological and economic advantages. It was not news. I had seen many articles in the past about this subject. Israel has been developing this weapon for quite some time, with discussions about it surfacing for over a year.
It should have been kept secret, much like the Manhattan Project that produced the first nuclear bomb. When the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, it provided undeniable proof of its existence, but by then, the U.S. had already enjoyed a brief period of nuclear monopoly. This advantage was possible because the development had been kept under wraps, delaying others like the Soviet Union from catching up. Israel, however, won't have the same luxury. With the laser weapon's development now public knowledge, other countries—likely including Iran—are already working on replicating it. In less than a year, they could have a similar weapon. As the saying goes, loose lips sink ships.
Loose lips and unrestricted media access provide Israel's enemies with cheap and easy intelligence.
-Announcing the time and location of planned war cabinet meetings offers minimal benefit to the Israeli public but becomes a strategic asset for adversaries.
-TV shows in Hebrew and English that debate strategy, while exposing internal disagreements and hostility toward the government, emphasize divisions within the Jewish state and fuel international hostility.
-When leftist Israelis publicly criticize Netanyahu, calling him a traitor and accusing him of prolonging the war for personal and political reasons rather than national security, foreign antisemites exploit these divisions and the vocal hostility to justify their anti-Israel stance.
They use these arguments to bolster support for BDS, embargos, and even antisemitic terrorism, pointing to Israelis who condemn their own government as validation. (Not a few Israelis claim that the radical left protest is financially supported by Israel's enemies, ed.)
I urge the Israeli public, especially the media, to act with greater responsibility. People must understand that their eagerness to share information and opinions can be exploited by Israel's enemies, potentially harming the very people they intend to inform and impress.
Publicizing the existence of a laser weapon development program was damaging. It’s equally harmful to reveal disagreements between the U.S. and Israel regarding planned targets in Iran—unless it’s intended to mislead the enemy.
Exposing the decision-making process within the government or discussing the location and timing of planned meetings is reckless.
This is war, and one of the most crucial strategic tools is the element of surprise. Discarding this advantage can result in devastating losses of both lives and property.
Stop being foolish!
Dr. Avi Perry, talk show host at Paltalk News Network (PNN), is the author of "Fundamentals of Voice Quality Engineering in Wireless Networks,"and "72 Virgins," a thriller about the covert war on Islamic terror. He was a VP at NMS Communications, a Bell Laboratories - distinguished staff member and manager, as well as a delegate of the US and Lucent Technologies to the ITU—the UN International Standards body in Geneva, a professor at Northwestern University and Intelligence expert for the Israeli Government. He may be reached through his web site www.aviperry.org