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A flood of emotions

Wounds of War: How Benjamin Netanyahu betrayed Israel

The emotional landscape in Israel following the ceasefire, after an exhausting 15 months of war, is a tapestry woven with threads of grief, betrayal, anger, and a profound sense of loss. As a hostage's brother aptly pointed out: The Gazans are returning home and the war is at an end– but my brother is likely coming home dead.

Benjamin Netanyahu
Photo: AI generated

In the shadow of a hard-won ceasefire, Israel finds itself navigating a maze of raw emotions. After 15 months of relentless conflict, the nation's collective psyche bears the weight of countless losses, its people wrestling with a complex tangle of grief, rage, and betrayal. Streets that once echoed with the sounds of daily life now pulse with an undercurrent of unspoken pain, as citizens grapple with both the physical and emotional toll of a war that has left no corner of society untouched.

This is what many of us who live in Israel are feeling on the ground:

Grief and Mourning: Every fallen soldier represents a family shattered, a community mourning. The news of the ceasefire has been met with tears not just of relief but of sorrow for those who won't return. There's a collective mourning for the futures cut short, the dreams unfulfilled, and the potential that was lost on the battlefields. The grief is palpable everywhere you go.

Betrayal and Disillusionment: We weren't sure about Netanyahu, especially after the catastrophic events of October 7th. But as months passed, we gained a new respect for him as we watched him stand alone, refusing Biden's grand suggestions, arms embargo and war which kept erupting on a different front. But now, many feel betrayed by Netanyahu, a leader who once symbolized strength and resolve. The perception that he bent to external pressures, particularly from Trump, has left many of us reeling.

Anger and Frustration: The anger is not just a political reaction but a visceral, almost personal one. It's the rage of parents who've buried children, of spouses left alone, of a nation that feels its leader has made a Faustian bargain with the lives of its youth. Conversations in cafes, social media posts, and public protests reveal a deep frustration with Netanyahu's leadership, seen now as out of touch with the ground realities of sacrifice and loss.

A Sense of Futility: There's a pervasive feeling of futility that has settled over parts of the population. The war, with its high human cost, ending in a ceasefire that many view as temporary or insufficient, leaves a bitter taste. It's the feeling of running a marathon only to be told the finish line has moved; the effort, the pain, seems to have been for a fleeting moment of peace rather than a permanent resolution.

Fear and Uncertainty: With Ben-Gvir's exit and Smotrich's hardline stance, there's an underlying current of fear about what's next. Will the ceasefire hold, or will it just be a pause in a continuing cycle of violence? The uncertainty of the future, coupled with the fragility of the current government, (not to mention the impossible situation of the ultra-Orthodox military draft (or lack thereof)) leaves many feeling insecure, like standing on sand after hoping for solid ground.

Relief Mixed with Guilt: For the families of the hostages released (and for everyone in Israel and Jews all over the world), there's immense relief, a joy that's bittersweet. They celebrate their loved ones' return, but this relief is marred by the knowledge that peace is fragile and that we may pay the price in blood in the future.

A Loss of Faith: The faith in political leadership has been significantly eroded. Netanyahu, once seen as a political juggernaut, now faces a public that questions his decisions at every turn. This loss of faith extends beyond Netanyahu to the political system itself, with many feeling disillusioned by the machinations of power that seem to ignore the human cost of conflict.

Hope and Despair: In this emotional dichotomy, hope and despair coexist. There's hope for peace, for a future where such sacrifices won't be necessary, but it's shadowed by despair when considering the path taken to reach this point.

The ceasefire brings a moment of calm, but the underlying question remains: at what cost, and for how long?

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