To all those who absolved themselves of any shared public responsibility, don’t expect anyone to take responsibility for you once the second wave of the coronavirus hits the country.
Do not seek solidarity and support in the name of that same mutual responsibility. For mutual responsibility is not a takeout menu to choose from at will.
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Usually busy Carmel food market closed during the coronavirus pandemic
(Photo: Sigal Arbitman)
Now please forgive me for the sin of generalization in the name of justice.
To the young people who constantly complain about the collapse of your dreams and the health-economic reality that forced you to back to your parents’ home, yet still go out to parties despite regulations: it was you who decided to not give a damn about the public health, do not turn to that same public seeking solace.
To the politicians who contributed to the chaos as the lockdown was lifted: it was you who crumbled under pressure and pseudo-considerations while restlessly waiting to end the counter-virus measures. It was you who infected the public with an acute lack of patience.
To the heads of teaching organizations and leaders of the education system: it was you who pushed to reopen the majority of classes and then worked to cancel half the regulations because they were stuffy and uncomfortable, for why would you wish to inconvenience teachers and students?
To the state officials: it was you who were too cheap to finance a worthwhile public service campaign to educate the public how to protect themselves against the coronavirus - all we had were a few short video clips.
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Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu during a press conference regarding the number of coronavirus patients
(Photo: Haim Zach, GPO)
To the owners of the restaurants, bars, coffee houses and club: your financial losses shook public opinion to its core, yet two days after the lockdown was lifted , you crammed in customers with no regard for the social distancing regulations. Your demands and fears will not be heard once the second wave hits.
To the masses of Israelis whose desire for nature, picnics and barbecues pushed decision-makers to allow parks, reserves and beaches to be opened: not two days have gone by and the hordes have already descended on every available green spot, ignoring crowd limits set by the state. You have proven yourselves selfish and should not expect anyone to care when the second wave closes all the beaches and nature reserves again and you’re back to settling for your balcony.
To the chain stores brought to the brink of bankruptcy by the outbreak, yet once the stores reopened abandoned all pretense of following regulations: those who came into your stores wearing a mask were made to feel like suckers. During the second wave, don’t expect those suckers to identify with your plight.
To Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was so eager to put on the "end of coronavirus" show despite the warnings of a second wave spilling out of your own mouth: do not come again with demands “to the beloved people of Israel.” Why on earth were you celebrating? And why are you warning of a second wave when your actions do not match your words?
No vital budgets were transferred to the country’s health system; no new inspectors were recruited; no nationwide system for speedy coronavirus testing has been implemented.
For the sake of their own credibility, Israel's leaders need to act and not just preach.