Rage, rage, against the dying of the light

These words of the poet Dylan Thomas are unusually appropriate as the Zionist vision now lies in tatters; abused, cursed, under attack world-wide, with Israel led by a pied piper who plays his pipe on a world stage as we here, fall off the cliff of the family of nations. Dylan Thomas wrote these words quoted in the title, when he saw his father dying. When I see young adults and hear of Israeli people searching for a new home in Portugal, England, Spain and Germany; when I see a government dominated by fanatics who seek to build a new temple in occupied territory; when I see abuse, cruelty and blatant terrorism by settler youth in the West Bank, with the army standing by, I need to ask: where are we going here? Is this the end of Zionism and the beginning of a fanatical rule of zealots driving us towards self-destruct?

The “new historians”, Ilan Pappe, Benny Morris (to say nothing of Chomsky), et al who have criticized the Zionist endeavor, have now been granted proof of concept as the overkill in Gaza continues without conscience, nor vision regarding the end game. 

Yes, we Israelis can never forgive or forget the crimes, the abuse and the horrors of October 7 2023 perpetrated by Hamas. But let’s be clear on some issues. The blame regarding both weak defense, weak intelligence, distraction by the government that attempted a judicial coup d’etat, lies solidly on Netanyahu’s leadership, the generals of the I.D.F. and in many ways us, the citizens of Israel, who have been the enablers and the lame followers of failed leadership since the death of Rabin.

We, intuitively and correctly, are in a state of shock, revenge and fury as the Islamic fundamentalist war against the West and specifically against us as the Jewish people has at last found a weak point in our armor. But caution, careful reasoning and vision of an end to this conflict has been thrown to the wind. Rather than think, debate and focus on the shocking attack – and how to react – which would have meant internalizing the massive failures by government and defense, understanding fully our loss and humiliation, and at the outset head for a full prisoner – hostage swap, the need to punish and destroy came first. The current victims for us here in Israel are the hostages. No bombing, destroying, flattening of Gaza has solved this problem while one by one, the hostages are dying in shocking physical and mental conditions within Gaza. The full interpretation here is that mass revenge-killing of tens of thousands, by Israel has taken priority over the safe return of our citizens. It seems that no one even tried to negotiate a solution at the very outset, days after the event. 

So now we come to the Churchillian speech by Netanyahu in the U.S. Congress. What a show! What a reception! What clapping! With human props – the Israeli heroes, the wounded, the released hostages, the desperate parents and partners whose loved ones have died or are hostages in Gaza. Netanyahu may be a brilliant orator, and the clapping, the adoration and the hype surely was stupendous, but the bottom line – indeed the rock bottom line bringing both Netanyahu and his sycophants back to reality, is that both at the Biden – Kamala meetings and the Trump meeting, Netanyahu got the identical message and in no uncertain terms: End The War! Now!

The Churchill wannabe was cut down to size by both competing leaders of the western world. And the humiliation, if not visible, rang in his ears. 

And ironically, the hard-core occupationists from Netanyahu down to the settler fanatics received a powerful warning. Probably the worst three words they wish to hear – Two State Solution.  

The “Wing of Zion ” or whatever they call this overspent flying hotel for the unroyal couple, will soon touch down back in Israel. My message to all those of us who see through the facade is simple. Rage, rage against the night that the prime minister of Israel and his leadership have brought upon us lest we fall into the darkness. Unlike in the poem, both change and precious light are possible.