"Netanyahu May Be Trying to “Normalize” Never-Ending War in Israel, But There’s Nothing Normal About It- Dina Kraft (October 28, 2024)" Detailed overview of this article

 

Introduction of Ms. Dina Kraft.

Dina Kraft is a writer and journalist based in Tel Aviv.  She is the Opinion Editor for Haaretz English, and co-author of My Friend Anne Frank.

She has written from the region for over two decades for The New York Times, The Christian Science Monitor and The Los Angeles Times, reporting on Israeli and Palestinian politics, culture and society.
 
Dina is drawn to stories featuring unlikely connections, dual narratives and the impact of conflict and crisis on ordinary lives. She hosts the podcast “Groundwork" and previously "The Branch”, which tell the stories of relationships between Jews and Arabs, Israelis and Palestinians . She also hosts another podcast, “The Patient is In” sponsored by Stuffthatworks, which features conversations with people navigating chronic illness.
 
Dina is a long-time foreign correspondent who began her overseas career in the Jerusalem bureau of The Associated Press. She was later posted to AP’s Johannesburg bureau where she covered southern Africa. She’s also reported from Senegal, Kenya, Pakistan, Jordan, Tunisia, Russia, and Ukraine
 
She’s also an educator and has taught journalism classes at Northeastern University, Harvard University, and Boston University. 
Dina was a winner of the 2020 B’nai B’rith World Center-Jerusalem Award for Journalism Recognizing Excellence in Diaspora Reportage. She was a 2012 Nieman Fellow at Harvard University, and a 2015 Ochberg Fellow at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University.

Source

https://www.dinakraft.com/

Key Points with Explanations:

1. Public Protests Against Ongoing War and Hostage Crisis in Israel:

Weekly protests in Tel Aviv demonstrate public frustration with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s handling of the war and the lack of a deal to secure the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas. Citizens are increasingly vocal, signaling widespread fatigue and demand for resolution.

2. Continuous Military Action and Rising Casualties:

Israel is experiencing daily attacks and counter-attacks with significant losses, including soldiers and civilians. These events underscore the human toll of the ongoing conflict, with around-the-clock military funerals and constant news coverage of attacks and defenses.


3. Media and Public Disconnect on the Gaza Humanitarian Crisis:

Many Israelis are shielded from the humanitarian impact of the war on Gaza’s civilian population, as mainstream news largely avoids showing images from Gaza. This disconnect may contribute to a lack of awareness or empathy for the suffering and displacement of Gazans, despite its impact on the region.


4. Criticism of Netanyahu’s Strategy and Possible Political Motivations:

Analysts suggest Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict may be driven more by political survival than security strategy, as he resists compromise or de-escalation measures. Critics argue that he may be using the conflict to shift focus from recent security failures and avoid accountability.


5. Military Strategy Debates and the Limits of Force:

Experts argue that while military action has achieved tactical successes, force alone cannot deliver a lasting solution. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, for example, acknowledges that diplomacy is needed alongside military efforts. This view contrasts with the government’s hardline stance, which resists compromise for peace.


6. Desperation of Hostage Families and Moral Implications:

Hostage families are increasingly vocal, demanding the government prioritize the return of their loved ones. Public statements from these families highlight the moral and emotional strain of the crisis on Israeli society and challenge the government’s stance against concessions.


7. Escalating Impact on Civilian Life in Northern Israel:

The ongoing conflict has profoundly disrupted life in northern Israel, with schools closed, natural reserves off-limits, and constant military activity. Civilians endure frequent alerts and live with the reality of potential missile strikes, creating a pervasive climate of fear and instability.


8. The War’s Toll on Daily Life and Families’ Preparedness:

The conflict’s intensity has fo

rced families across Israel to prepare constantly for attacks, with measures like placing shoes by the door for quick access in case of air raid sirens. This illustrates how deeply the war has affected everyday routines and psychological well-being.


9. Emotional Strain and Persistent Anxiety Among Israelis:

The article closes with the author’s personal experience of enduring air raid sirens and reading tragic news of young soldiers’ deaths. Such firsthand accounts reflect the emotional toll on Israeli citizens, who live with the omnipresent fear and trauma of a seemingly unending conflict.

I would like to quote the last two lines of the Author from her article. 

"As this war continues, every night I line up everyone’s shoes in my family by the door in a neat row in case there an air raid siren sounds overnight and we have to dash quickly to our apartment building’s bomb shelter. That came in handy twice last week when we were awakened by missiles shot towards central Israel from Hezbollah. I tell my teenage kids to be as aware of their surroundings outside as possible, not to scroll through their phones as they walk, to keep their backs to walls and bus stops, lest they become easier prey in terror attacks which we hear of in growing frequency.
Two weeks ago, the night an Iranian-made Hezbollah drone exploded on an Israeli army training base, killing, as we would find out soon after, four 19-year-old recruits, I was texting with a friend. She was at a nearby hospital to where the attack occurred having brought her son there after he hurt himself at home in a cooking accident. While they were waiting to be seen in the emergency room, the secretary nearby was fielding calls from mothers trying to locate their sons.
As my eyes began to cloud reading her words, the wail of an air raid siren sounded in my neighborhood in Tel Aviv and across central Israel.
My tears would have to wait."

Source:

https://peacenow.org/entry.php?id=43600