Day 500: This war is killing us
The war in Gaza has devastated Palestinians. But it's also destroying Israel. Here's how.
Today, the 500th day since October 7, feels like we’re in the Twilight Zone. That’s because the day is being marked in two radically different ways — in one way by the government, and in another way by seemingly everyone else.
On the one hand, we have Exhibition A: The war-hungry, bloodthirsty tone deaf and maniacal Israeli government that is practically celebrating this moment. Bibi Netanyahu and his people are excited about going back to the war, are defiant in their refusal to keep the ceasefire that they have already been violating for two weeks, and are ready to leave the remaining hostages to rot in the tunnels with not a shred of consciousness, guilt, or shame. Ben Gvir is practically giddy about coming back to the government in that case, Moshe Gafni refuses to look mourning families in the eye, and Bibi is smiling from ear to ear in his meeting with trump.
Stunningly, some American Jews are okay with this. Like the Conference of Presidents that apparently so admires Amichai Chikli — the absolute horror of a Diaspora Minister who has seemingly made it his life mission to destroy all possibility for the ceasefire to continue — that they have invited him for a special meeting. And, in a move that should surprise absolutely nobody, trump has announced that Bibi should “do whatever he wants.” That is the dream that Bibi has been waiting for. Which is why he so shamelessly sabotaged President Biden at every opportunity and actively contributed to the Democrats’ horrific loss in November. Bibi did all that so he could have this moment in which the White House finally finally gets off his back so he can be King and rule the world. And here we are.
And then we have Exhibition B: The rest of the country. Mourning. Fasting. Protesting. Begging this government to do whatever it can to end the war for good, bring back the hostages, let the soldiers go home, enable the people to rebuild their lives, and get moving on creating a long-term solution to this bloody conflict. There are events all over the country soaked in fury at this government, with its unabashed narcissism and unbearable disregard for human life — even the lives of its own people.
It really feels like two different universes.
We all know how this government has pulverized Gaza….The 50,000 dead including 20,000 children, 90% of homes destroyed, incalculable piles of rubble that will take years to clear and are full of explosives and dead bodies…and on and on. Indescribable devastation…..
But I think it’s also important to point out how this government with its insistence on endless war is also destroying Israel. Yes, this Israeli government is destroying Israel.
The impacts of this war on Israelis
I spent the weekend with several young mothers whose husband are still in reserve duty. YES STILL! Yes, the same women I wrote about over a year ago when describing this invisible home front. These women are still doing this. And some may be losing their minds.
One mother of a toddler — her husband was on duty for 11 months and then was released and called back in 6 weeks later and is still on call. And when he comes home, he shares his Ben Gvir-esque racist ideology and desire to decimate all of Gaza, and also carries a gun everywhere. Like, everywhere.
Another mother of three very young children, her husband is on his fourth round, this time for two months. Two months! Again! And when he comes home, he doesn’t entire understand the impacts of his absence. I remember those moments vividly from the years when my kids were little and my husband also spent 30-40 days away on reserve duty. We eventually understood that it would take at least a day for everyone to readjust. It’s just a completely abnormal situation. All of it.
Plus, there’s the whole issue of what these guys are doing in their service. My husband was never in combat in an active war so we were spared that particular kind of reckoning. But these guys? What are they seeing? What are they doing? What are they carrying around in their souls? How are they affected?
This war is undeniably ruining people’s lives, something the reservist wives know better than anyone. While this idiotic government makes this outlandish announcements about continuing the war — as does the moronic Marco Rubio with his grandiose “We’ll destroy Hamas” macho stupidity — nobody in charge seems to wonder where they will get the soldiers to carry out their bloody fantasies. Not to mention the fact that they have been trying to “destroy Hamas” since forever and all this strategy does is make Hamas stronger. Anyone looking at the images of hostages being returned understands that Hamas is alive and well, in spite of all this macho, bloody, “destroy Hamas” violent bullshit. Only one strategy has ever been tried — violent bombardment — and it has had the exact opposite effect of its intention. Yet, here we are.
And very possibly, Bibi Netanyahu is directly responsible for propping up Hamas, then and now. Meanwhile, this insane war continues as Bibi and his posse seem to think that the people of Israel are robotic warriors like in some CGI alien movie. Bibi thinks that the people of Israel are his personal bodies, ready to drop everything for his megalomaniacal ambitions.
We are not.
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BTW, we know that all this bombardment doesn’t end war or bring back hostages.
You know what DOES end war and bring back hostages and make people safe?
Negotiated cease fires.
You know how many hostages came back via military rescue during this war?
8.
You know how many hostages came back via negotiated agreement?
141
And you know how many hostages have been killed by IDF fighting?
35.
Who still thinks this war is good for getting the hostages back?
Yeah, that’s what I thought.
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You know what makes us safer? Negotiated peace settlements.
Who saved us from the 400 rockets sent by Iran (on Bibi’s watch, btw, Mister Save-you-from-Iran bullshit?) How did Israel become safe despite the Iranian attack?
Because of JORDAN. That’s right, Jordan saved us. Jordan knocked down a lot of those rockets headed our way.
You know why? BECAUSE WE HAVE A PEACE TREATY WITH JORDAN.
So, yeah, the only thing that ends war and keeps us safe is NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS
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And you know what else I discovered this weekend?
The women are angry.
Angry. Really, really angry.
Who can blame them?
Will these marriages all survive the war? That’s a big question.
Will these reservists and their wives rebel? That’s also a big question. I hope so…
The war is also affecting people’s mental health. Post-trauma is on the rise, with an estimated 20,000 soldiers experiencing PTSD. This is in addition to civilians in trauma. Although experts warn that it’s not exactly “post” trauma because we are not even in the “post” stage yet. We’re still in it.
There are also issues of suicide on the rise. Hardly suprising, considering that this government is calling on human beings to engage in inhuman acts….. for extended periods… with little support… The army has admitted that it sends traumatized soldiers back to combat. And doesn’t necessarily take care of them or their families, even when the worst happens.
The physical impacts of this war are only one aspect of its destructive effects. We need to be asking about the effects on our souls.
Because what happens to a people who are trained to believe that violence is the only way, that war is inevitable, and that their job in life is to go out to battle instead of stay home and build a life with their families?
What happens to their minds? Their spirits? Their personalities?
More importantly, does anyone in this government even care? Is anyone bothering to ask these questions?
I don’t think so.
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500 days. Of bloody hell.
Bloody, soul-crushing, endless, murderous hell.
We have a responsibility to stop this. To end the fighting, to bring all the hostages home, and to sit down at the negotiating table and create a different reality.
We must. Our leaders must. Right now. Right NOW.
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