I had not been to Israel since June 2023, and during this recent visit I found a different country from the one I had known. Although I have worked abroad for many years, Israel is where I was born and raised. It is the place where my parents lived and are buried; it is where my son has established his own family and most of my oldest and best friends live. Knowing the country from the inside and having followed events even more closely than usual since 7 October, I was not entirely surprised by what I encountered on my return, but it was still profoundly disturbing.
It honestly felt like Bartov’s pointing out the very serious historical and material myopia that exists within Israel proper, outside of very specific and rare circles, that’s developed to such a severe degree that when blowback against the actions of their fascist state occured a la O7 that it completely disorientated them and shattered their fictional worldview.
Like it’s quite possible we’re able to get a glimpse into history of what was happening in fascist Germany with how inundated with propaganda their people were with observing the continued unraveling we’ve been given a glimpse into with the contemporary events occurinf.