israeli politics

p.s. 25.1.25

Gershon Baskin writes:

It is not yet too late for Israel to convey to Qatar and Egypt that it is ready to adopt the three-week deal that Hamas agreed to in September. In three weeks, all the hostages – living and dead – can be released, the Palestinian prisoners who have been agreed to be released can be released, the war can end and the Israeli army can withdraw from Gaza. Israel can also initiate a regional-international conference with neighboring countries and the Palestinian Authority on the future of Gaza – the reconstruction and the alternative Palestinian government that should govern Gaza instead of Hamas. This will of course lead to the fall of Netanyahu’s coalition, but this is actually the will of the majority in Israel. If Netanyahu is so confident in his abilities and the people’s support for him, let him bring this chapter to an end and return the mandate to the people. (Gershon Baskin, January 25, 2025)

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israeli politics

Another Drop in the Bucket - 25.1.25

4 more girls.  And we’re all estatic.  It is amazing to see them all. Looking healthy and happy and emotionally powerful, they have not begun to tell their stories.  But we want more – we want all of them, all of them that never should have been there in the first place.  

But they are such cool girls – every one of them gives the sense that there is a future for our people.  Each one is worth the thousands of terrorists we paid.

 

 

another drop in the bucket – 25.1.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

moving into the weekend - 24.1.25

There may have been times like these in the past, where every day brings a new anticipation and fear, but the media that informs the individual of the national and international fears, magnifiy the feelings.

we know there will be four hostages tomorrow – a day that is difficult for people to break the sabbath and come to see the freed hostages.  We don’t know for sure who they are and what condition they will be in.  We don’t know a lot more.  

it might be easier to handle of we didn’t know they are playing with us.  it might be easier to handle if we were optimistic about our future… Wait a minute – I AM optimistic about our good future….

 

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israeli politics

Shopping - 22.2.25

I hate to complain about it, no – i hate to think about it – but shopping is an incredible shock lately.  Every time I got to the supermarket the price of each item is higher.  It’s easier to shop online when I am watching television to distract me, and I don’t look at the prices.  Downgrading the quality is my only response.  No free range organic eggs – they are twice the price.  No more organic veggies.  No more imported chocolate. 

Don’t worry, I won’t lose weight.  There’s enough cheap candy on the market. 

Potato chips is a bigger problem.

 

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israeli politics

Where To Begin - 21.1.25

this is a country of headlines.  If I had to try to tell everything that happens every day it would be a long list of headlines.

And I’m never sure what subject to pick.   From the resignation of the Commander in Chief of the army – one of the finest human beings I’ve seen on TV throughout the whole year – who admitted his failure in predicting the massacre but noted his amazing success at recovering from that initial catastrophe, to the terrorist in Tel Aviv this evening, there’s always something going on that needs to be reported.  And I never know what you need to know.  

The resignation of Herzi HaLevi is a particularly important item because in announcing his failure he’s also announcing that his bosses, the knesset, the prime minister, should also be accepting the blame.  

What I thought I’d be writing about, however,was the enormous outpouring of love that I’ve noticed all over.  For the third time this month we’ve passed couples staging proposals on the beach at sunset – signs with “Marry Me,”  couples inside enormous outlines of hearts, etc. etc.  I’m sure this is connected to men facing death all the time, and women seeing what the men have been through, and what they have been through.

Women have become more assertive as well, as they have had to take on the jobs of absent, dead, or wounded men. Tonight the terrorist attack was foiled by a woman shooter, and the police who were clearing the area were also primarily women.  

 

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israeli politics

I know that the Battle Hymn of the Republic is a abolitionist song, and it isn’t a prayer – but I had the terrible feeling that Trump believes that the Lord saved him from the assassination attempt, and he identified with the last verse of the song: 

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in his bosom that transfigures you and me;
As he died to make us holy, let us die that all be free!
While God is marching on. 

I hope he knows what he is doing.  He spent half of his speech kvetching and then the other half alternately giving me hope and scaring me to death.  

 

 

Inauguration – 20.1.25 Read Post »

israeli politics

Hostages - 20.1.25

Ronny Sommek sent me a poem to translate today:

Hostages

 

they drew

their eyebrows

with embers

 

and beneath them

their vacant eyes

burning the fire

of lionesses

smuggled out

from the gates

of the zoo.

 

 

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israeli politics

first three hostages - 19.1.25

I doubt whether anyone in Israel breathed today.  Despite the terrible fear that the hostage release can break down at any given stage, we were overjoyed that this moment took place.  I have no words for the joy.

And the fear.  Not only for the next  group of hostages, but also for the future, the fear of the next phase of Hamas and the Nukba.  Their hatred is so great that any step we take toward peace is bound to be foiled.  

I will update this soon.

On their way to the hospital to be checked out, I imagined the way the girls feel, and the how their emotions will change in the coming months, and how much that will depend on who else is freed.  So many unknowns – how long they’ll be in the hospital, what has happened to them, what proceeds from here.

 

What an amazing day.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful if this could be the beginning of an agreement!

  

first three hostages – 19.1.25 Read Post »