The Political Dynamics
of War
A Journey through Israel
MAXIM FISHER
“ I need both of you to understand that when we go all the way north to the military base at Kav Ha ’ Imut , we could experience sniper fire from Hezbollah terrorists as we ascend the mountain . There is another road that the Israel Defense Forces ( IDF ) Corps of Engineers built , but it takes longer . So , what do you two gentlemen want to do ?”
These are the words spoken to me and my travel partner , Mike Pregent , by an Israeli IDF reservist who had volunteered to be part of a unit that is keeping eyes on Israel ’ s northern border with Lebanon . It is May 2024 , and we have just arrived for our nine-day journey in Israel .
Mike , who served under former director of the Central Intelligence Agency , General David Petraeus in Iraq , was a company commander in Afghanistan and worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency , replied , “ When our time is up , our time is up , I guess .”
“ Just drive as fast as you can ,” I say , laughing .
The Northern Border
I was born in the former Soviet Union into an anti-communist Jewish family . My mother wanted to immigrate to Israel . She had an uncle who was working as
a scientist for the IDF at that time and filed for immigration to Israel with me , her then 4-year-old son . However , she changed her mind in Italy and decided she wanted to come to the U . S ., where I grew up , instead .
With my family history in mind , I was honored to be asked by the Faith and Freedom Coalition to represent West Virginia along with three politicians from North Carolina , including Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson , on a solidarity trip to Israel in early November 2023 , not even a month after the atrocities had taken place right outside of the Gaza Strip , a Palestinian territory , on October 7 .
My second trip to Israel with Mike this past May had more to do with understanding the military , intelligence and political dynamics of this war . We met with a volunteer reserve force in Kav Ha ’ Imut that serves as the eyes and ears of the IDF in that region . It is the first line of defense if Hezbollah , the Lebanese militant group , attacks Israel from southern Lebanon .
On Israel ’ s northern border , they have evacuated 80,000 to 100,000 residents from Kav Ha ’ Imut . These residents have been attacked by Hezbollah and many
108 WEST VIRGINIA EXECUTIVE