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In Israel, There's No "Crisis of Confidence." It's Stronger than Ever
(Telegraph-UK) Zoe Strimpel - I have been regularly visiting Israel for 20 years and I have never before seen such national unity, as if a warring family has suddenly realized they've only got each other. And in a close-knit country 11 times smaller than the UK, everyone knows people caught up in the horror, whether as victims, victims' families, or soldiers. The emotion, and commitment to what happens next, is genuine and complete. "We are all in Gaza," they say, and they mean it. It has now become blindingly obvious to anyone who visits Israel that the initial shock has morphed into unified anguish and purpose. Critics who were quick to blame what they saw as Israel's military heavy-handedness, now see no option but to win the war in Gaza, in order to annihilate Hamas and prevent a recurrence; at the very least out of respect to those who have been taken or killed. This is not doubting Israel's purpose. Rather, it is a renewed determination to make Israel keep fulfilling that purpose. A crisis of confidence in Zionism? Bad news for the clever pundits of the West: the Israelis have never been stronger.