October 7 and what it means. For decades, Yoni Ben‑Menachem believed that genuine peace with the Palestinians might be possible, yet the October 7 massacre shattered that hope and forced him to rethink everything he thought he knew about the Middle East and his Arab friends. This long post follows his personal journey from optimism and professional excitement to profound disillusionment, and it explores what he believes Israel must learn from October 7.