Coming back from Israel, I am continually asked what the political mood was, particularly with respect to Iraq. (The fact that the questions focus on Iraq show how little the questioners understand the issues facing Israel. Iran, Palestine, Syria and Lebanon all pose greater risks to the country than Iraq)
Nevertheless, the tenor of the question is clear.
The answer is somewhat more difficult, and of course we spoke to a very small percentage of Israelis, and those with whom we spoke tended to be unrepresentative of the population in general.
Putting this aside, what struck me in Israel was that, on the one hand, if you ask people what they thought about the future of the country, they all express pessimism (i.e., the problem will continue to be unsolvable and then Iran will get the bomb).
But, if you ask them about their lives generally, or if you just look about you, you will see people who are planning for the future as if there is not a cloud in sight. They are building buildings, starting careers, getting married, having children, and so forth.
How is this dual existence possible? I guess you have to be Israeli to answer that.
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