What a day to be in Israel. I spent nearly 8 straight hours glued to the news.
How many times today did I watch footage of Gilad in Egyptian hands? How many times did I watch him struggle to walk down two stairs? How many times did I wonder how he got those glasses? How many times did my heart ache as I watched footage of Israelis watching footage of Gilad’s return? How many Gilad-related commercials were aired between quickly assembled montages of Gilad walking/blinking/just simply existing? How many times did I hear the news in Hebrew, to the point where I not only understood what they were saying but could accurately recite it back to you? How many times did I get butterflies in my stomach thinking about his reunion with his parents? How much did I kvell when he put his hand over his heart in the van on his way to his house, clearly touched and overwhelmed by the people/Israeli flags/flowers/support? How many tears did I shed when they showed those 3 year olds saying “gilad shalit chozer habayta!” (גלעד שליט חוזר הביתה=Gilad Shalit is returning home)? How many times did I almost giggle when Gilad went from saluting Bibi (Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister) to embracing him in a Voldemort—Malfoy style hug? How many times did I smile proudly hearing Bibi reference biblical passages in a modern context?
The fact is, the reunion with his parents was lukewarm at best and that initial interview was an absolute disaster.
But actually that doesn’t matter.
And today is not about how many times I did anything in the above list.
What matters as of this moment is that Gilad Shalit is home. He’s sitting in his house with [most of] his family, and he is back in Israel, no longer a prisoner of Hamas.
The fact of the matter is that yes, Gilad returned to Israel—but at a steep price. 1,027 prisoners were released so that he could come back. On the news, the excitement of the Israeli people was absolutely palpable. However, so was the enthusiasm of the 500,000 Palestinians who rallied with joy and excitement. Among those released were people who were involved in some of the most devastating attacks of the intifadas, and their lack of remorse is frightening. As Israelis chanted “Am Yisrael Chai” (עם ישראל חי=The People of Israel Live) and “Gilad Shalit Chozer Habayta” (גלעד שליט חוזר הביתה=Gilad Shalit is returning home) some of the Palestinians chanted “We want a new Shalit.” This, to me, is horrifying. The thought of over 1000 terrorists being released back into the wild (Gaza, Egypt, Turkey, East Jerusalem, etc), when combined with the statistic provided by Time.com, “Israeli officials calculate that 60% of those released resume terrorism attacks. ” http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2097192,00.html
So while I, alongside the Israelis who have missed him like they would their own brother, son, or nephew, I am thrilled to know that Gilad Shalit is back at his own dinner table as we head into Simchat Torah. I love knowing that, after 1,940 days in captivity, Gilad is now a free man. But I also recognize the bittersweetness of this day. Am Yisrael, the people of Israel, can feel fuller, more complete, once again whole. However, it is important to remember that that feeling has a cost, and that cost is a dangerous one.
Today was absolutely an information overload, and I feel the barrage of the images I saw and the words I heard time and time again. I remember losing it when I first saw the picture of Gilad and his father embracing with Bibi totally cheesing in the background (above--photo credit to Moshe Milner, GPO); Netanyahu knows what it means to lose someone, and this is absolutely a personal victory for him, today. I remember tearing up the first time I heard the brand new Arik Einstein song, written in the last 48 hours in honor of Gilad’s release (music and lyrics here--the site is in Hebrew, but it's worth listening to). I remember the delight on children’s faces (who couldn’t have been born at the time of Gilad’s capture) cheering alongside friends and family for the homecoming of this lost (misplaced?) soldier. I also remember being in Israel with my family in June and July of 2006. In the end, today was about a homecoming, not about terrorism.
I’m not a cynical person, but I think, realistically, this celebration needs to be taken with a grain of salt. Yes, we should all feel relieved that Gilad is home; what a blessing for him and his family! We also need to be aware of the cost of his homecoming, and hope that, in the end, it was worth it. Who knows, maybe the 60% statistic provided by Israeli officials is inaccurate for this particular batch? Maybe the sense of warmth and completeness that comes with the return of one (or one thousand) members of your community is enough to keep people feeling peaceful and well-wishing other members of humanity for at least the time being?
Only time will tell. I’m hoping for the best. Like I said, today was a bit overwhelming; maybe my opinion will change as the situation develops and time moves forward. For now, though, I’m so relieved and happy that Gilad is home, and I feel so lucky to have been in a situation where I could experience this momentous and joyous event in the country where it was happening.
As Bibi said this afternoon, today it is possible to say that the people of Israel live.
היום אפשר לומר שעם ישראל חי.
Welcome home, Gilad. ברוך הבא, גלעד.
You are one of the most elegant writers I have the pleasure to know. I am so lucky to count you as one of my closest friends.
ReplyDeleteMiss you every day.
Shmanton.
Beautifully written, Elle!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post. That one was an historical moment that anybody in Israel is going to forget.
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