Disoriented
Disoriented. I woke up this morning. Processing yesterday’s news as though I were waking from lingering frames from rapid eye movements. Waking, and wanting to be home. Our bedroom, our furniture, our books on the table. Could it be that I was transferred in my sleep with some familiar surroundings to another place to make me feel at home? No, and the place where I wake up seems quite unfamiliar. How could this be Israel?
The news that Minister of Justice Yariv Levin changed the locks on the doors to the office of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara generated commentary, but hardly a public outburst of rage, certainly no condemnation by the government – or apology, and no shock. At least some of the Opposition MKs petitioned the Supreme Court to order Levin to allow the AG access to her office. Simply not a surprise that the Minister of Justice did this. Almost to be expected in this country I no longer recognize.
No surprise either that Minister of Defense Yisrael Katz is amidst a conflict with IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir. While we wait for the government to give the order to act on its decision to take control of Gaza City – a decision Zamir challenged from his professional perspective – there’s time for a political war between the Minister of Defense and the Chief of Staff. Why would anyone still expect that to be a relationship in which the former, at least publicly and in the media, demonstrates unwavering backing of the latter? In this place that I fail to recognize, it seems that what is recognizable is every attempt to disempower democratic institutions, norms, and practices as the government plan of action.
People from the left and people from the right, like steps in an Israeli folk dance – to the right and to the left, forward, side, together. Very little feels together, except a pervasive acknowledgement that things are bad. Very bad.
The Chief of Staff authorized the plans for whatever is next in Gaza. News as I write. We wonder why he doesn’t resign. Commentators and reporters claim he says he knows he is the current government target – a tug of war until he resigns or is relieved of his duty.
Hostages who were released unilaterally report that they cannot recover emotionally until the hostages are all brought home. News reports about discussions and delegations, Hamas in Egypt, and hollow updates about possible talks again in Qatar or elsewhere.
Gazan refugees. Homeless. More Arab countries added to the list asked to take them in.
A suspect with a plan to execute a terrorist attack in Raanana was captured before he did any damage.
Jewish settlers in the West Bank notorious for attacks on their Palestinian neighbors together with Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir proudly star in photos reflecting their common agenda. Not new. Not since this government was formed. Legitimization of injustices previous governments allowed to pass under the radar. If you wanted to know, you knew.
Plans to flatten Gaza City. A public strike finally scheduled for Sunday in Israel in protest, demanding the return of the hostages.
No songs of peace. A war in which no new songs of peace are written. Humming to myself the words to the song from the Yom Kippur War in 1973, “I promise you, my little girl, that this will be the last war.” Tears in my eyes to salt the rapid eye movements before I awaken unable to recognize my surroundings. Disoriented.
After the dream, we will awaken, scarred, but we will heal. A better world for us and for our neighbors will emerge. Dreaming.
Harriet Gimpel, August 13, 2025
