Being an Israeli visiting the US in these tumultuous days is a surreal experience • Millions of Americans, who can not even fantasize about a vaccine soon, are amazed at Israel's dizzying success • We have some who forcibly promote the "failure" narrative, but the world sees - and understands The size of the achievement
Immunized woman in hospital Assaf the doctor
Residents get vaccinated in Shefar'am // Photo: Michel Dot Com
Queues at the Vaccination Center in Safed // Photo: Eyal Margolin, Ginny
Apocalypse Dream: Americans look at an Israeli with envy.
The Israeli dream.
Israelis living in the US want to fly to Israel, because there is nothing to compare, Israel is much more advanced than America. Science fiction? No. This is exactly the feeling right now, and the reason is stabbing shoulders on the right and left: the vaccines.
While the great and progressive America, as well as many many countries in the European paradise, are busy curbing the virus, tightening closures and calming the panic, Israel is already deep in a mass vaccination campaign of its citizens.
While in France warehouses are isolated, in Israel they are bundled.
You have to see how they look at me here, the guest from Israel, who tells the locals that he is already resilient.
What to do, finally a slight advantage for members of the dubious club of a risk group.
Remember how we used to look at the uncle from America in the '70s with the Levi's and the Marlborough?
Well, multiply by a hundred.
The eyes open with curiosity mixed with admiration.
They get the information on local television and in the newspapers - Israel ranks first, far, far ahead of most of the Western world.
Netanyahu is photographed with the millionth vaccinated person in Umm al-Fahm, and world newspapers ask: "But did they do it?"
That's right: it's not over yet.
The first million vaccinated are expecting a second dose, and there are several million more who have not yet been vaccinated.
It is to be hoped that the operation will continue at the current momentum.
It is not recommended to surf for an early celebration.
But with more than a tenth of the population vaccinated in such a short time, one can already imagine scenarios of exiting restrictions and returning to routine in the economy, in the economy, in education, in culture.
There are many countries in the world, including the United States, where ordinary citizens can no longer fantasize about a vaccine in the next six months. This may change, but mentally, and probably also physically, the vaccines are not yet within the reach of many Americans, French, Germans ... Israelis, on the other hand, are already making plans, and we hope that the virus does not have its own contingency plan.
The thing is, this success stands in so stark contrast to the atmosphere that has taken over us from the very first moments.
Remember?
Failures, commissions of inquiry, failure, what not?
The national sport was to compare our situation to the world.
We did it a little less in moments of success, where our data was reasonable and even good relative to the world.
But when the Israeli wave was on the wrong side of synchronization with Europe, there were those who had already volunteered to write the conclusions of the state commission of inquiry that would find the culprits: the Israeli government ("the most failed of all time") and, of course, Prime Minister Netanyahu.
What was not said about him, and even from the first moment?
That he invents, or exaggerates, or exploits to arouse fear, to tighten control, to prevent demonstrations, to rake in political gain or to evade trial.
Even now there are those who are sure that the closure is coordinated with the election date, and that the vaccination campaign is nothing more than election propaganda.
And now, when it does happen;
When the vaccines have indeed been purchased, brought in, and when the array is revealed in its impressive effectiveness, there are those who are urged, right now, to attribute the success to a thousand and one other factors, including the labor movement that established the HMOs.
Yes, there are also those who think that the great vaccination campaign is an astronomical success of the Israeli left.
These petty quarrels and superstitions seem so small and miserable from a distance.
I had the opportunity to visit many countries in the US and also in France during the plague. I am sorry to disappoint, not only do we have something to be proud of now, but even in earlier stages of the plague we had nothing to be ashamed of. Restrictions in America are insane, so is France. Looking at us with envy, how to keep an eye on the planning, organization and implementation of a vaccination campaign that is advancing Israel a huge step towards the end of the epidemic (provided Corona, as mentioned, has no contingency plan), maybe it's time to admit that Israel is probably not so bad. , And go through a global crisis.
A few months ago there were those who pushed abysmally seriously to set up a commission of inquiry;
It may end in a certificate of appreciation.
It is true that the success of the operation does not guarantee Netanyahu a vaccine from criticism, but it certainly guarantees us citizens a vaccine from Corona.
What awaits you in a small vial at the HMO near the house, is still a distant dream for the people I meet here.
proportion.
