Israel, Are You Listening? March 27, 2023March 27, 2023 Of current events, my Israeli hosts from last month write: We have reached a moment that frightens many but at which — from a systemic and historical perspective — we are lucky to have arrived and honestly should have arrived much earlier. Bibi has drugged the masses for decades. Weaning will be difficult and painful, but after that the country will grow again and emerge stronger and more just. The process of getting rid of “Bibism” has awakened huge parts of the population and consolidated in them a civil, political, social, political, and economic consciousness that was not there before. Alongside it, a tremendous force derived from a sense of personal-social competence has also been released: the feeling that all of us together through partially coordinated individual actions can shape reality and our future. When we cleanse bibism from the gutters of our state, we will build a civil and political coalition that will finally enshrine in a constitution the rights of all of us against any future “Bibi”. We must use our newfound strength to deal with the cost of living, a fair welfare state, and peace with our neighbors. Necessary now: optimism, faith in our ability, big dreams and setting our eyes on grand national goals! He is not backing down but he is being peeled off of power. I am guessing he will be out of power (formally or informally) within days. “Let us pray,” as my mother used to say. DISTURBING BONUS “Israel, If You’re Listening.”