Oblivion and Sewage
Since clearly the Jewish political arena sees no alternatives to a Palestinian state perceived as palatable in the public arena, maybe we should look at other problems. Like sewage.
Netanyahu and the members of his coalition claim the opposition leaders will establish a Palestinian state, if they come into power. Opposition leaders, one of whom may be his replacement, insist otherwise, lest it cost them votes.
Opposition supporters are largely as stuck as the politicians. Netanyahu governments repeatedly avoided enabling establishment of a Palestinian state. We know where it leads. To prove that Israel could never secure its borders were there a Palestinian state by its side? Because we’ve been so safe with the status quo it should be perpetuated? (Me, a cynic?) What is the alternative posed by an opposition refusing to endorse the idea of a Palestinian state?
Since the proposed new leadership isn’t responding, I ask people around me. The question tends to evoke angry tones mixed with frustrated helplessness. Responses often begin with why a Palestinian state is not the answer, “not now.”
Were you privy to text messages and information circulating in my WhatsApp groups, you would understand there are other responses. The groups, ranging from Looking the Occupation in the Eye, Directors and Managers for Peace, Volunteers for Rabbis for Human Rights (or the Rabbinic Voice of Conscience in Israel, as it defines itself in Hebrew), Writing and Sharing for Peace, The Faithful Left, Protective Presence (via various organizations), and Standing Together, to other less active groups with sociopolitical agendas for change, provide daily reading material to fill every day, all day. They endorse prompt establishment of a Palestinian state. The only way to ensure the safety of Israel is if the Palestinian people have a state of their own next to the State of Israel. But that is my bubble and it hardly reflects mainstream public discourse.
Changing that discourse as our elections approach is unlikely. Distractions in the last week included water found unfit for agricultural purposes in Israel. Sewage flowing in the Mediterranean Sea from Gaza marginally acknowledged by the Israeli public basically unaffected by the direct impact, so far. Israelis lean towards indifference to local agriculture issues. Indifferent to the implications of water contamination in Gaza, and Israel’s role in the picture. Oblivion.
Less distracting, perhaps gone unnoticed is the fact that “Jewish terrorism” has become a mainstream term. One might conclude that while appalled by “Jewish terrorism,” Israelis not engaged in it find the term more palatable than “genocide” applied to actions by the State of Israel in Gaza. Jewish terrorism coupled with ethnic cleansing makes the news. Appalling to most Israelis the public, but in suppressing feelings of helplessness, society becomes oblivious, with questions of whether the next government will enable and promote the establishment of a Palestinian state prioritized. In the process, frustrated by ineffective public protest, the contamination of our society has grown far too extensive.
An evening news panelist last night, essentially acknowledged that noting that the upcoming elections are not about whether a party supports the establishment of a Palestinian state, but whether the State of Israel will move forward or backwards.
Harriet Gimpel – September 5, 2026
