Free Breathing and Creeping Optimism

The bitter aftertaste of the new government has given way to a slight optimism. A stroll through the mall without a mask also helped.

View of the central Israeli city of Modi'in, on January 26, 2021. Photo by Yossi Aloni/Flash90 *** Local Caption *** ??? ??? ??????? Photo: Yossi Aloni/Flash90

For three days now we have had a new government and a new Prime Minister. Lo and behold, the sky has not yet fallen! The somewhat bitter aftertaste I had felt in the course of the formation of the new “government of change” has meanwhile given way to a slight optimism. The composition of the new government gives the impression that it will not last long. So those involved are working hard to prove to us that precisely because the new government is so diverse–being made up of eight parties, some of which hold totally conflicting views–this is why it will succeed.

The agreements between the various parties simply do not allow for failure. For example, our new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett might not be involved in the next government if this coalition fails. He has chained himself to this government of change, thus making it all but impossible for him to suddenly go in a different direction.

Yonatan Sindel/Flash90
There is no going back. Our new Prime Minister Naftali Bennett

And I have to say that everything seems to be fine so far. I’ve been particularly impressed with security policy. Up until now, the fire balloon attacks from Gaza, which are setting our forests and fields ablaze, have for the most part simply been accepted. But our new government seems to equate fire balloons with rockets. The Israel Air Force responded with two attacks on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip last night after around 30 fires on the Israeli side were sparked by these balloons. I am curious to see if Hamas will understand this change in policy.

As you can see, I am optimistic. This is probably also due to the fact that we have finally said goodbye to the masks completely. Now we can breathe freely in shopping centers and look into people’s faces. Yesterday I headed to the mall to get a taste of this newfound freedom.

Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90
A supermarket in Tel Aviv. We have to get used to the normal again.

While shopping in the supermarket yesterday I saw the cashier’s whole face again for the first time, a strange but great feeling. It’s crazy that what was once completely normal still seems unfamiliar to us. But we’ll get used to it quickly. Already there are television specials on creative uses for the masks now that we don’t have to wear them everywhere. I found that very amusing.

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