Day 6 of the War: We Are All Orphans

Alongside all the other tragedies of this war, there is a strong realization, supported by evidence, that we can’t trust those in positions of authority. Clearly, the prime minister, ministers, Knesset members in the coalition, and political appointees across various government branches seem indifferent to the well-being of most citizens in Israel, treating us as mere collateral damage.

Over the past ten months, activists in the protest against the judicial overhaul, experts from diverse fields, and former public figures consistently warned us about the chaos this government was instigating. Despite our persistence in demonstrations all over the country, and protests outside ministers’ homes, they all ignored us, displaying a complete unwillingness to listen.

One of the warnings we received was about the possibility of a war. It was inconceivable to imagine a scenario where we would be at war with these individuals as our leaders. Within the Israeli government, there isn’t a single person I can look up to or respect. It appears that ministers were chosen based on their greed and incompetence.

We couldn’t fathom it, but it has become a grim reality: we witnessed the consequences of this disastrous government during the pogrom on Saturday, October 7th. Since the war commenced, no one in the government has taken responsibility or offered a message of hope and unity to the citizens of Israel. Many of us feel that they hate and despise us. We are facing the worst time of our lives, and there are no leaders to be found, only petty politicians.

For a brief moment on Tuesday night while listening to President Biden, I felt that there was someone on our side, a true leader. Then, I remembered that he was not my president but the president of the United States. I dread thinking about the future. With these people in charge, we all feel like orphans.