The current events naturally do not leave us untouched as current visitors to Israel and in our travel plans. Almost shocked by the awareness that we are in a country that is suddenly in a state of war, joyful wanderlust has given way to deep consternation about the atrocities and victims of the warlike events. At the same time, there is a feeling of insecurity and even more of ‘not belonging here now’ with expectations and demands that one commonly has as a traveler.
The people in the country are depressed and frightened, beaches, recreational facilities and streets are deserted, stores and pubs are often closed, military and police are present everywhere – a state of war, not a feel-good atmosphere.
In addition, there is the somewhat bitter, but perhaps not entirely unexpected, realization of one’s own stress limits, which are reached sooner than expected in view of the sometimes extreme hardships represented by the hot climate, hostile nature and demanding topography in this region.
All this leads to a moment when we consider how, or even whether, to continue our journey as originally planned.
Our deliberations are not over yet, but changes will be made. We will continue to report.
Time to move and stay safe.. media hype my not be only “hype”.. escalation is highly likely.