Israel's Future: Trust and Doubt Among Israelis

Israelis act as if they are here forever, but sometimes speak as if just temporary visitors. Israeli survey point marker at the end of Tel Aviv's marina pier / © 2010

I don't understand how Israelis think about the future. It's not because I don't understand the words or ideas, it's just that there are so many different views, most conflicting. Some Israelis really believe that the state is not going to survive. If saddam hussein with chemical rockets from Iraq, the Palestinian suicide attack or Ahmadinejad's nuclear bombs don't succeed, eventually someone is going to bring down the state. These views are based on personal fears and media reports. On the hopeful side, Israelis simply point out where Israel is today and how people struggled for a long time to keep us safe. Attacks on Jews (essentially pre-Israel) started before the state was declared, wars with bigger armies and more determined leaders did not bring down the state, why would someone succeed now? Then there are the middle thinkers, Israelis who think that a really strong force came at us, an Iranian nuclear bomb for example, the Israeli army would retaliate. Something would remain after the smoked cleared. To outsiders this all seems grim, but what else can we do with daily news reports of someone making a speech to squash us?

Trust or doubt about the future of Israel as a state, swings to extremes when we are under attack or when we are at peace. Sometimes I am really surprised by people's comments. People who seem comfortable and successful here tell me that they have doubt about the future of Israel. Fears of attacks from countries like Iran or even Iraq, or breakup of support from Turkey, or even drop of support from Egypt make them paranoid. Most of these fears are temporary. Now everyone is fearful of US president Barak Obama's support of the Palestinian Authority in negotiating for a Palestinian state. Just a year ago southern Israel was being shelled by Hamas from the Gaza strip. Then people started speaking of Israel clearing out the area around the Gaza strip. As soon as the shelling stopped, people suddenly changed their mind, now Israel is safe again.

But Israelis fearful from one big attack are not basing their fears on facts. They have a deep seated fear of the unknown. What if a rough group of Iranian generals decide to attack Israel? Saddam Hussein did just that but did not have chemical or biological weapons suspected. What if the Palestinian's suddenly decided that "la dolce vita" was better than a state declaration? Both Israelis and Palestinians were happy when Israel signed a peace agreement with Fatah (Yasser Arafat's organization) and when peace was signed with Egypt's Anwar Sadat. Both Israelis and Palestinian economies flourished and terrorism was at it's lowest point in history. Eventually both Arab leaders died and relations soured and so did fears of renewed war. International relations and media also stir emotions and get people to sway back and forth. Some Israelis actually make plans, shipping money to Swiss banks and buying property in the Philippines. Some send their kids to study in Europe or the US with the hope they will stay there. Some actually look for a job with a foreign company, this way if something happens they can make a quick escape. During times of war there is a big wave of "long term vacation travelers" out of the country until things settle down. During the last Lebanon war this phenomena was clearly visible but not during the Cast Lead operation in Gaza. Finally, there are the ones who ignore news reports and try not to side with anyone. This happens in other countries, most Americans ignore economic calamities, so what if someone on wall street brought down the Real Estate sector? They also ignore terrorists attacks just like we do here. Europeans seem to be even more detached, most totally ignoring the Muslim minorities increased size and political changes. Sometimes I think that they are the wiser ones, twisting and turning at every turn of a CNN or Al Jazeera news report makes for a tiresome life... but what if this is the "real one"? but what if it's NOT? OK we get the point...