# 409 – Yes, but….

[I started this days ago, having difficulty putting my thoughts ‘on paper’. This morning, I woke up to the return of deadly violence: 9 killed by Israel forces in Jenin, now 7 Israelis killed by a Palestinian gunman in Jerusalem. Unlike the reaction by the Palestinians, we don’t go out and celebrate such events by shooting wildly in the streets.]

After weeks of ‘silence’, I even have a problem of thinking up a title for this letter.

In ‘olden days’ everyone had an answer, opinion, thought, but often kept it to themselves, perhaps for lack of interest, time, effort. Now, it’s not only become easy to respond, it seems to have become mandatory, usually via social media.

And, at worst, it’s ‘Yes, but’. Nobody accepts the other’s opinion, for the sake of harmony. It’s the opposite, for the sake of conflict.

My almost 25 years of ‘Letters’ have focused on Israel. I was always trying to explain this strange new country to a world that had an almost sadistic attitude towards it, while it is trying so hard to establish itself after history’s worst crimes.

I don’t know where to start; there are so many subjects. Here there are ever-increasing protests in the streets; a widening gap between religious and secular, and a widening gap between Israel and World Jewry. The Palestinians complain that their over-70-year refusal to accept a neighbouring Jewish state has brought them international support, but, actually, not a millimetre closer to even a state of their own, let alone the disappearance of Israel.

In fact, their once-allies are going ‘behind their backs’ and making pacts with Israel. We’re all fed up; frustrated. Israel prides itself as being the only democracy in the Middle East, but since when is ‘democracy’ perfect. Churchill wasn’t the first to see the weaknesses in democracy. But what else is there?

A subject which interests few outside ‘our community’ is Judaism itself. I was one of many who predicted a dangerous increase in the gap between religious and non-religious. (Ignore the fact that within the ‘religious’ Jewish community there is also much conflict – but rarely if ever resulting in warfare).

It was a big mistake not to make a distinct separation between religion and state when establishing this country. That was partly because Jews have constantly had difficulty defining themselves.

Before the establishment of Israel, Jewish communities were ALWAYS a minority. Thanks to almost constant persecution, they forced themselves to be more defensive, closer-knit. And what kept them going was their religion. They prayed for ‘Next year in Jerusalem’, but it remained a prayer of hope.

But now it is a fact. Now the Jews have Jerusalem, and they have a new identity: Israeli.

I am now pessimistic. My previous optimism was based on our inching towards normality. I prayed for the impossible: that Israel would be ‘left alone’ for a generation, allowing it to let the fantastic seeds of progress and civility grow into acceptance and cooperation. I mean, one has to admit that what Israel has achieved in these 75 years is ‘a miracle’, despite the daily negativity and setbacks.

Not all is yet lost, but the signs are bad. The Arab neighbours who have made peace with Israel are presumably ‘holding their breaths’. Saudi is still ‘on the doorstep’. And I think part of Bibi Netanyahu still loves his country and is aware of the precipice he is negotiating.

Our 2 biggest problems: Our relationship with our Arab neighbours and potential civil war between the religious Right and the ‘less-religious’ Left (which includes secular and the large ‘tolerant’ religious community).

The conflict with the Arabs is perhaps easier to define. My hope was that the majority of neighbours recognise the need for close ties with Israel, based on so many factors: security, technology, defense, agriculture, hi-tech etc. and a move towards ‘western-style democracy’. The wobbling of the Iranian regime is an enormous factor in all this. Its collapse would leave the violent extremists ‘out on their own’. Turkey would have no choice. but to side with the majority. The Palestinians (and Hezbollah – and Houthis in Yemen etc.) would be ‘left behind’ in the violent past.

But the relationship amongst the Jews themselves is potentially falling apart. In my opinion – and it is MY opinion – a divided Israel is the greatest danger.

Maybe, at a time of such violence and terror, this is not the time for such a conclusion. Or maybe it emphasises the point.

Stephen