Day 597 Of The War: Everything Is Connected To Everything

This has been a very frustrating week in Israel. On Tuesday, during my shift in the dining room at the Hostages Families Headquarters, the place was almost deserted. It turned out that the families were abroad, pleading with sympathetic parties outside Israel to finally bring the hostages home.

On Monday, I attended the Jerusalem International Writers Festival and listened to a lecture by philosopher and journalist Bernard-Henri Lévy, followed by a discussion about the current situation. One of the topics Lévy addressed was the international reaction to the October 7 massacre. Lévy, who has covered bloody conflicts in places like Darfur and Mogadishu, said that although the initial response to the atrocities was one of horror and shock, it quickly gave way to complete erasure. In Israel, of course, we are still living with the trauma.

This disconnect may partly explain the anger directed at Israel for its retaliation and the ongoing war, which has harmed innocent people in Gaza. It seems that since October 7, our situation in the Middle East has become nearly impossible.

So what can conscientious citizens in Israel do when, after almost 600 days, the hostages are still in Gaza—starving and kept in inhuman conditions in underground tunnels—while civilians in Gaza are killed in Israeli airstrikes, our army continues to fight a seemingly endless war, and two more young soldiers were killed just last week.

One of the few remaining courses of action is protest. Last night in Tel Aviv, the protest focused on the idea that everything is connected to everything. At Habima Square, the speakers—this time without any celebrities—spoke about the importance of perseverance. For more than two years, we have taken to the streets almost every week, protesting against the corruption of this government and the abandonment of the hostages and the people of Israel.

Among the speakers was veteran civil rights lawyer Eliad Shraga the founder of the Movement for Quality Government  in Israel, who delivered a fiery speech about the power of steadfastness and determination. He is a living example of these qualities, having consistently fought against civil rights violations and government corruption. Another speaker was Orna Shimoni, one of the founders of the “Four Mothers” movement, which played a crucial role in bringing about Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon.

The other speakers came from “Brothers in Arms”—one of the most influential civil organizations working to rehabilitate our country after October 7—and its counterpart, “Building an Alternative,” a grassroots, women-led movement that has played a key role in educating citizens about democracy. Both spoke about the various devastating consequences of the government’s actions.

After the protest, we marched eastward. Some of us went to Hostage Square, others to Begin Gate. This time, I chose the latter. At Begin Gate, alongside the posters about the hostages and the government, there was also a silent protest a little further on—people holding signs bearing the names and faces of children killed in Gaza. Everything is connected to everything.

While the government and the coalition sow complete chaos in the country, we are left to face a daunting challenge—navigating the complexity of our situation and addressing all its many facets. Determination and Steadfastness are our guiding words.