Many Israelis are holding their breath today, waiting to see whether a deal gets signed with Iran. No one knows with certainty whether it will happen, and no one who’s talking knows what’s in it.

But Israelis have a bad feeling. Screenshots from earlier today:

This isn’t good for Bibi’s re-election prospects, and very serious journalists like Hagai Segal raised the possibility this weekend that Netanyahu might not even run. There are many reasons for that, and certain likely preconditions, but who knows?

What we do know is that for many Israelis, this is a one-issue election.

Israel’s foreign policy, of course, isn’t going to change at all under a new government. Whatever Israel needs to do (after all, we have not defeated Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran or the Houthis) might be done with a bit more finesse, a bit less of a finger in the eye of Europe and American Jews, but policies won’t change. Few Israelis want them to.

So what’s the issue?

Of course, it’s the Haredim.

To start off this week with a very, very brief post, two items from Israeli social media.

First, above in the video, it’s pretty darn clear. Note that in the video showing on the iPad, the Haredi guy yells Allahu Akbar, which is Arabic for “God is Great.” And, of course, was what the Nukhba terrorists screamed as they slaughtered, raped, kidnapped and pillaged on October 7.

And then the Haredi guy says, as they all do, “We will die rather than get drafted.” That’s THE slogan.

“We will die rather than get drafted” is the core of this cartoon by Guy Morad, one of Israel’s most watched cartoonists (I got it from someone, but can’t find the original location online):

The sign at the Haredi protest says the same thing: נמות ולא נתגייס. Namut ve-lo nitgayes. “We’ll die before we get drafted.” The two dead soldiers, now angels, looking down, make the entire point.

What are the chances we get to elections without violence from or at the Haredim? I’m betting it’s pretty low.. That might just be what it’s going to take.

We shall see.

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Many Israelis could not travel for months this past year, because the skies were closed, or if they were open because it was not clear that they would stay open so it felt risky to leave, or because we didn’t wish to leave our children and grandchildren when war could break out again.

So with things quiet(er) for the moment, many Israelis are traveling more than usual this summer.

We, too, will be away the weeks of June 14 and June 21. Podcasts will continue on schedule, as always, for our paid subscribers. But other posts will come at a slower rate during that period.

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