The cry of "togetherness" of Shelly Shem Tov, the mother of Omar who was kidnapped to Gaza, shook hearts. The painful cry came because one of the greatest national disasters we have ever known has happened. It came because no Israeli believed it would happen. We all hurt together.
In the early days, the country was shocked. Systems collapsed, leaving people to fight alone for their lives and the lives of their families for hours. Only after the war will we know what really happened there, but what is known is that many heroines were discovered and many heroes passed away. We all felt abandoned to our fate, some felt the abandonment in their own flesh, and many awe-inspiring people who stepped into this vacuum provided assistance.
On that bloody Saturday, the Israeli media functioned as a war room. The reports arrived almost immediately. Videos that minutes earlier had been posted on Telegram channels were broadcast non-stop, providing an initial, confused picture. People saw in real time the attack on their kibbutz, on their neighborhood, on their home. Some went on air and called for help. The commitment of media personnel to the public was great. But in the panels and commentaries that filled the nights, there was an excessive effort to prove that there was no government, that there was no leadership.
Many of those who came to the various channels came to formulate a narrative. Senior media figures, former and future politicians, former senior security officials – they all stayed in the studios for several days in a row, mediating reality. While the presenters and reporters made sure to constantly mention that "this is not the time" to talk about politics or guilty, they eagerly swallowed the very political stuff of the former and made sure that everyone understood who the real and only culprit was, and who was the "man" who apologized. It was probably hard to pass up the opportunity to express the righteousness of the road when the ratings are rampant and when Israel is confined to the screen.
This terrible tragedy also serves as a home for disinformation. Conspiracy theories are growing from the right and the left - from Israeli collaboration in kidnapping from southern settlements, to accusing Miri Regev's daughter of knowing about the incident and therefore leaving the party early in Reim. Particularly serious is Hila Alroy's statement that the blood of the murdered was found by Netanyahu (following which she was reprimanded by Reshet).
Instead of promoting unity and cooperation between all the active elements, the campaign that does not stop leads to public representatives being degraded and attacked in wartime, even those who have nothing to do with the matter
There are also those who get into credit and control struggles. A particularly problematic case revolved around the headquarters of the families of the abductees (led by Ronen Tzur and others), and the involvement of Honenu in representing the families. Instead of dealing with the matter itself, in a report published by Ben Caspit on Monday, he made sure that everyone knew who the proper representatives of the families were: a "competing organization" had been set up for the families' headquarters, he wrote. Almost immediately afterward, in a speech at the opening of the Knesset's winter session, MK Merav Michaeli – who has immunity and therefore is not bound by the truth – said that everyone was working to rescue the hostages, "But Netanyahu? Netanyahu arranges for there to be hostages who will support him and his version, and that there will be organizations that work for him..." The facts surrounding this issue are unclear, but either way – there is no concern for the families of the abductees. The coordinated campaign continues.
Instead of promoting unity and cooperation between all the active elements, the campaign that does not stop leads to public representatives being degraded and attacked in wartime, even those who have nothing to do with the matter. Incite against the prime minister, interfere with the work of government ministries, create unrest, touch exposed nerves and fan resentment. The incitement that has been absorbed by the public in recent years is now erupting in full force. The obligation of the media and all of us is to curb this. Tragedy and real pain of people cannot be used as a tool to strengthen the political status of any group.
There are many people who have to go home after this disaster. Maybe all of them. But at the moment no one can go home - not the chief of staff or the prime minister. They will pay the price for the default – but later. Now shooting. Really.
Wrong? We'll fix it! If you find a mistake in the article, please share with us