Everyday Israelis after Two Years of War
I’m just back from Israel, seeing the land from Dan to Beersheva. Of course, people think that when you lead a tour in Israel that you only see what tourists see. Happily, for Eva and me, that wasn’t the case. We hosted an alumni meeting of Moody Bible Institute graduates, getting to visit with about 25 alumni living and serving in the land of Israel. Also, we had time with Israeli family and saw other friends as well. We also talked with ordinary Israelis wherever we went. Being our first visit to Israel since the Hamas war started nearly 2 years ago, we did a lot of listening to understand how most people were feeling. Here are five observations of the current situation in Israel.
First, the 10/7 attack and ensuing war has brought a palpable feeling of trauma. Even though coffee shops are full and the streets of Tel Aviv brim with activity, there is an underlying sense of loss. The nation remains heartbroken over the hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. Also, beyond the great sorrow for the lives lost on 10/7/23, there is intense pain over each and every soldier who has fallen in Gaza. The people of Israel are resilient and strong, but the traumatic effects of 10/7 will persist for some time.
Second, there’s also serious political tension throughout the country. Although the nation remains united in supporting the need to defeat Hamas, many don’t agree with the current government’s strategies and priorities. A significant part of the population feels that the government has taken too long to defeat Hamas. We stayed in a Jerusalem hotel near the Prime Minister’s residence and saw nightly protests there. The country seems evenly split politically and passionate about their differences.
Third, people were seriously troubled at most of the world’s lack of understanding of the Israeli situation. For example, Israelis are deeply disturbed by the false allegation of genocide—a charge promoted by Hamas that has no basis in fact. Israelis are proud of the Israel Defense Forces commitment to protecting Palestinian civilians and for making provisions for feeding them, something an army at war has never done before. They are concerned about the political isolation Israel is experiencing and the rise of antisemitism around the globe. Most Israelis are distressed at the European governments that are recognizing a Palestinian state at this very time and, in doing so, giving Hamas a victory. Others are upset about the many antisemitic conspiracy theories being promoted by both rightwing and leftwing activists. When Charlie Kirk was murdered, there was deep grief over the loss of such a dear friend of Israel and then anguish that lunatic fringe conspiracy theorists blamed Israel. Clearly, Israelis are having a hard time comprehending how so many around the world support and believe Hamas, a malevolent, murdering terrorist group, that wants to destroy the West after destroying Israel.
My fourth impression was how tired Israel is with this war. Israel has a large reservist army and most have served many days. One 50-year-old friend of mine has been serving as a reservist for some 500 plus days in a war that is just over 700 days long. Others are exhausted with the financial difficulties and job losses caused by the war. There was a sense that this was going to be a long war by Israeli standards, maybe 10 months or even a year. Now it’s almost 2 years and people are worn out.
One last impression—the people of Israel are thankful for the United States government giving such outstanding support to Israel’s fight against terror. Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited while we were there, and across all political lines, left and right, everyone expressed great appreciation for the United States.
On a final note, we need to remember, not necessarily to support every policy of the Israeli government but we are called to bless Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants. God wants us to care for the people of Israel, of whom He says in Jeremiah 31:3, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”