Who knows

I've stayed away and quiet for most of the 1.5 years, because of the abnormal hatred towards Jews and Israelis flooding all social media platforms, and the pictures of demonstrations all across the globe, demonizing my family, my friends, my nation, my people, my heritage, my history, my region and my religion.

The worst thing that came out of the information-revolution is the huge amount of crap and self-importance, turning spoiled kids into demagogues who tells the world it's completely fine to burn your own flag and advocate for terrorists you know so little about.

I'm not pro-Trump. I think that he is a very volatile man. I think he is taking very little good actions, mostly in regards to Israel.

The reason I came back today is very clear: Volodymyr Zelenskyy. I thought about all of you when I saw him in the oval office (I actually went to see the whole thing) and I wanted to get apart of myself back: the hopefull part, the one who is looking for a strong, unwavering leadership like Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

2023

OFFICIAL

GLASSES PICS

FYI Harold's british accent is the most british to ever accent

Btw, Ze wanted to visit together with Blinken.

So ... WTF, ISRAEL?!?!? Really? You not only miss out on such great, awesome opportunity (Ze and Blinken visiting together would have been a hell of a message) ... you also treat Ze like that after everything?!

I get that the situation is tense. I get that the situation is complicating. I even get that they maybe don't want him there because they might fear he's getting too much attention. I would even get a complicated security situation (even though it would be much easier to protect Ze if he's coming with the Americans). I get all that.

But giving such an excuse / explanation was just a really badly worded statement. "Time not right" - what is that even suppossed to mean?!

It just leaves a very bitter taste after a really complicated relationship in the past, if you tell the Jewish (!) Ukrainian President (who has or had family and friends in Israel and wanted to study there and visited in the past - I mean, it's not like Ze hasn't any connections with Israel), who's country has to face a genocidial war, it's not the right time to show up for solidarity. Especially with Olena's visit some months ago. So the First Lady, the "decoration" without any political office, is fine but they draw the line at the actual leader? But other state leaders can visit and that's okay again?

It certainly doesn't help that they made the call wit Putin public. Especially, since it gets clearer and clearer that Russia is involved and helped Hamas (as well as supporting Iran).

The first thing that should be said - if there were some Ukrainians who got hurt by this, As the Israeli here I can tell you that hurting Ukrainians or any other nation, animals, people or belongings were not meant to be hurt.

Second - I'm never against Ze but right now, it's seriously not the time. But it is a time to talk with Pootin.

Sadly because he is still in power, and he is still has a hold in the Middle East (ME from now on). P has his forces in Syria and he does have close relations with Iran, who is funding the Hamas. As far as I know, and I'm trying to consume as little news as possible and stay informed with the dry-details only, this is the "money time" to release the 199+ captives in Gaza, and Israel does everything that is in its power, EVERYTHING, to minimize the suffer of the captives, the scale of hurt in ground invasion, the scale of suffer of the people in Gaza which are innocents and are not to blame. Israeli is talking to everyone in the area to de-escalate the situation right now - from Egypt to Qatar, China, Thailand, Russia to Saudia, so talking to P is definitely a tool that we need to use right now.

Israel is an incredibly small country. Obviously you know that, but I'm not sure everyone )understand the scale: I live in Jerusalem and my parents live closer to Tel Aviv. We joke here that boths cities are worlds apart, but in truth - they are 1 hour away from each other. By car. Driving from Jlem to the northen border is 2.5-3 hours, and from here to Eilat is about 4 hours max. In comparison - according to gmaps it is over 6 hours drive from Brandenburger Tor in Berlin to the Allianz Arena in Munchen, and it's 40 hours between the Empire State Building in NYC to Santa Monica Pier in California. This country is so small, that it's incredibly hard to protect him in this crazy time. Rockets are still flying over the airport as I write this. We ourselves are basically out of our minds right now, and the national efforts are going towards the war. Can Israel guarantee the safety of Ze right now? Nope. Can the US take full responsibility for his safety? It's up to them to answer that.

How can his visit help right now? It can help unite the people who are fighting against terrorism - yes. BUT -

I don't think it's a good thing for him right now. The ME is one of the most controversial topics in the last century, is it smart to link the war in Ukraine into this ME mess?

Of course it's related. Terrorism is always related to one another. But the level of mess is crazy. The hatred towards Israel, Israelis and Jews is in an INSANE height. The level of the current tension is like the first weeks in Feb and March of 2022 in Ukraine. All nerves are completely strained everywhere, is it really the time for him to come over here?

Yes he is a Jew and he has relatives and friends here. I don't think there's a Jew outside Israel that doesn't know someone who knows someone who is in Israel right now (this nation has the mentality of a large family..). The news are devastating, of course he wants to visit and help. The horrors that happened here in October 7th are about Bucha level, if not worse. I'm saying that with the utmost respect to the victims of Bucha. Ze, as the caring person he is, wants to help and offer his sympathy. It's more than appreciated here but I think for him it will be better in a few weeks when the situation is more clear and hopefully peaceful.

Biden, Blinken and Austin.

Their visits, as much as I'd like to think that are about raising the morale of us Israelis, is more about planning the next steps - what's the strategy now? What is Israel doing with the humanitarian situation in Gaza? What's about Hezbollah in Lebanon? What about the captives? Iranian involvement - this is why they are coming here. It's a 10 hours flight, and as much as I want to flatter myself and my country - it's not just to make us feel better. (Even thought it helps a TON in the morale department and I'm incredibly grateful!!!) 

Baerbock and Scholtz's visits - dunno what that's about. I assume it's to say that Germany support Israel, unlike 80y ago. Maybe help with the international efforts of releasing the captives?I have no definite answer.