Americans look at an Israeli with envy these days. Israeli dream. Israelis living in the US are looking for ways to fly back to Israel because there is no comparison – Israel is much more advanced than the US. Science fiction? Not really. This is exactly what Americans are feeling right now, and the reason is somewhat prickly: coronavirus vaccines.
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While the great and advanced United States, as well as many many countries in the European paradise, are busy trying to curb the virus, tightening lockdowns and keeping panic at bay, Israel is already deep into a mass public vaccination campaign. While France is vaccinating people in small groups, Israel is doing so en masse.
You should see how they look at me here – the guest from Israel, who tells the locals that he has already been vaccinated. Finally, a slight advantage for members of an otherwise dubious risk group. Remember how we used to look at our American relatives in the 1970s, with their Levi's jeans and Marlboro cigarettes? Well, multiply that by 100 – eyes wide with curiosity mixed with admiration.
Americans also get their information from the media: Israel ranks first in the world, far, far ahead of most other Western countries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was photographed with the Umm al-Fahm resident who became the millionth Israeli to be vaccinated and global media asks, "How did they do it?"
True, it's far from over. The first million vaccinated Israelis still have to get the second dose, and there are several million more who have not yet been immunized. We can only hope that the vaccination drive continues at its current momentum rather than toot our horn too early, but with more than a tenth of the population already vaccinated in such a short period of time, one can already imagine scenarios of lifting restrictions on public life and resuming our routine in the economy, business, education, and in culture.
There are many countries worldwide, including the United States, where average citizens can't even fantasize about getting vaccinated in the next six months. This may change, but mentally, and probably also physically, the vaccines are not within the reach of many Americans, Frenchmen, or Germans. The Israelis, on the other hand, are already making plans for the "day after." Let's just hope the virus doesn't have its own contingency plan.
The thing is, this success is in stark contrast to the doomsday atmosphere prevalent here from the very beginning. Remember? Failures, deficiencies, commissions of inquiry – you name it. The national sport was to compare our situation to that of the rest of the world. We did it a little less when we were ahead of the game, when our stats were reasonable and even relatively good in comparison, but when the outbreak in Israel was on the wrong side of the situation in Europe, there were those here who had already volunteered to write up the findings of the future state commission of inquiry, naming the culprits as the Israeli government ("the most failed government of all time") and, of course, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
From day one, his critics said that he was exaggerating, overreacting, or exploiting the pandemic to spark fear in the public, tighten his control over the country, prevent anti-government protests, mark political gains, or evade his trial. Even now there are those who are sure that the third lockdown and the vaccination drive are nothing but election season ploys.
And now, when the vaccines have been purchased and delivered and the inoculation campaign is in full swing, demonstrating impressive efficiency, there are those who feel a burning need to attribute this success to a myriad of other factors, including the Labor movement, which established Israel's health maintenance organizations when Israel was just a fledgling state. Yes, there are also those who think that the vaccination campaign is a stellar success – for the Left.
These petty politics and hollow bickering seem so pathetic from a far. I have had the opportunity to visit many states in the US as well as France during the pandemic and I hate to disappoint the detractors, but we have a lot to be proud of right now. There was also nothing to be ashamed of even in the earlier stages of the outbreak.
Restrictions on public life in the US and in France are extreme. Now, when we see how they look at us with envy, how they trace the planning, organization and implementation of a vaccination drive propelling Israel toward finally quashing the pandemic (provided the coronavirus doesn't have a surprise in store for us), maybe it's time to admit that Israel is probably not such a horrible place to live, work, and weather a global pandemic in.
A few months ago there were those who seriously pushed for the establishment of a commission of inquiry, which may end up giving out awards. It is true that the success of the vaccination drive doesn't make Netanyahu immune to criticism, but it certainly guarantees us a coronavirus vaccine. What awaits you in a small vial at the HMO, is still a distant dream for the people I meet in the US, so let's keep everything in proportion.
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