July 26

Saturday

Tel Aviv

Day 10 of War

Kalaidoscope Shabbat. Cabinet deliberated as we sat down to Friday night dinner last night, and woke up to an 8am to 8pm ceasefire the next morning. The usual quiet of the park on a fine July sabbath day was superimposed with the stillness of no sirens, no war news. 

Instead, Israeli TV featured Gazans shopping in overflowing fruit stands of yellow, red, green, purple, orange, all the splendors of nature. Gazans seemed normal, even jovial. And why not? The figs here are especially delicious this year; no one told nature there is war. Gazans stopped buying fruit at sunset, as Hamas declined to extend the ceasefire, even to midnight. In Tel Aviv, after the calm of this summer Saturday, expecting the ceasefire to extend, dinner crowds were deeply relaxed and mellow. At 8pm Hamas declined to extend the ceasefire even to midnight, as called for, so diners continued their meals with siren alerts from around the country pulsing edgily on their cellphones in the background, the 'usual' these days.

Many soldiers got to go home on leave today, but they will all be called back. I had no news today, which I know is good news. But still...

UPDATE: It is midnight, as just announced: ceasefire will indeed extend, midnight to midnight, another 24 hours. Maybe during that time I'll hear a tired, friendly voice from the front. 

But Dad is still holding out for a hug. 

Goodnight from the Holy Land, it was really a much better night indeed, and I am hoping for a real shavua tov, a good week and a safe resolution.