Is Israel Both the Athens and the Sparta of the Modern World?

Wars are no longer merely battles of physical strength. They are conflicts in which intelligence, technology, and science prevail.

In Ancient Greece, Athens was known for its philosophers, scientists, and theorists of democracy. Sparta was known for its military prowess, its bravery and its ability to defend itself against enemies. In today’s world, in order to be Sparta, a nation must also be Athens. Wars are no longer merely battles of physical strength. They are conflicts in which intelligence, technology, and science prevail.

It is precisely because Israel is Athens — a world leader in science, technology and democracy — that it is also Sparta. This has been shown dramatically by Israel’s technological superiority over its enemies, as reflected by its targeted attacks on its enemy’s leaders and terrorist murderers. 

This was illustrated most dramatically by how it turned Hezbollah’s communication systems into weapons against the terrorists themselves. It was also demonstrated by its use of sophisticated intelligence to locate and neutralize leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah. Even the killing of Yahya Sinwar, though somewhat fortuitous, was facilitated by a small drone that flew into the house in which he was hiding.

Israel is a tiny country, both in size and population, with few natural resources and with borders that are difficult to defend. Yet since even before its establishment in 1948, it depended on its academic as much as its military prowess to overcome these disadvantages by relying on education, innovation, and planning.

It hasn’t always worked, as evidenced by its intelligence failures on October 7, 2023 — failures that diminished its deterrence and encouraged adventurism by Iran and its proxies. Over the past year, though, the IDF’s deterrence has been restored largely by its technological successes.

Everything would change, however, if Iran were allowed to develop and threaten to deploy a nuclear arsenal. There is no completely certain technological defense to nuclear -tipped ballistic missiles. If even one made it through Israel’s excellent defense system — enhanced by America — it could mean the end of Israel.

As Iran’s former president warned: “Israel is a one bomb state.” Even one successful nuclear attack on Tel Aviv or Jerusalem would constitute an existential catastrophe for Israel.

Nor can Israel hope to deter such an attack by threatening to retaliate against Tehran with a nuclear attack on that population center. As Prime Minister Begin said in 1981, after he ordered the preventive destruction of the Iraqi nuclear reactor at Osirak, “Israel will never incinerate millions of innocent children.” Being Athens — with its deep commitment to democracy, values, and humanity — has its drawbacks when it comes to deterrence. 

There are limits to what a democracy will do — limits that tyrannies do not have — even in response to attacks on its citizens. That is why, Begin said, Israel must prevent rather than respond to a nuclear attack, as it did in Iraq and Syria, and as it must do with Iran.

Israel, along with America, is currently using technology in an effort to thwart Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Yet cyber-attacks and targeted assassinations may not be enough. A military attack on Iran’s nuclear facilities may be required. Such an attack will make use of Israel’s technological and scientific advantages, but in the end its success may depend as much on the courage of its pilots and other soldiers.

It is the creative combination of Athens and Sparta — technology and bravery — that has allowed Israel to implement the blessing of the Psalmist: “God will give the Jewish people strength, and only then will they be blessed with peace.” Jewish history throughout the ages and Israeli history of the last century have proved beyond any doubt that morality alone will not prevent antisemites and anti-Zionists from destroying us.

We had morality on our side during the holocaust, and we had morality on our side on October 7. The reason we will never again experience a holocaust is not because our morality has improved. It is because the Israeli army is stronger than its enemies and the Jewish people around the world use their strength in the interest of self-preservation.

Zionism, Judaism, and the Jewish people are under attack all over the world, especially from the left and most especially from young people who represent the increasing dangers we face in the future.

The response requires a continuing combination of Athens and Sparta. Israel and the Jewish people must continue to excel at science, technology, education, morality, and democracy.

Israel cannot afford — at least not yet — to turn their swords into plow shares or their nuclear weapons into nuclear medicine. It must use its Athenian attributes to make Israel an even stronger Sparta.