Politics · Israel

The Dream Palace of the Jews

Summarizing Liel Leibovitz in Tablet · Published Wednesday, July 23, 2025

JL;DR SUMMARY In the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, Liel Leibovitz examines the consensus-driven policy failures of Israeli society. A way out west there was a fella, fella I want to tell you about, fella by the name of Jeff Lebowski. At least, that was the handle his lovin' parents gave him, but he never had much use for it himself. This Lebowski, he called himself the Dude. Now, Dude, that's a name no one would self-apply where I come from. But then, there was a lot about the Dude that didn't make a whole lot of sense to me. And a lot about where he lived, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place s'durned innarestin'.

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Places mentioned

Israel

"On Oct. 6, 2023, Israeli society, fragmented and torn when it comes to just about any subject imaginable, was in full agreement on one thing: The best way to handle the threat posed by Hamas in Gaza was by pursuing a cautious policy that focused on economic incentives."

Doha, Qatar

"In September of 2023, for example, according to reports in the Israeli press, a Mossad delegation left for Qatar and encouraged the government in Doha to continue and funnel funds to Gaza."

Egypt

"Forcing Hamas to become a partner in a major regional development deal, Israeli security officials said at the time, was a solid long-term investment likely to lead to the groups eventual decline. With Egypt as a partner, they continued, and with the strip growing more prosperous, Hamas will eventually disappear."

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

"To maintain their precious dream palacegilded with billions of dollars from start-up exits, sprawling with top-notch restaurants and shops, and looking a lot more like Berlin or Boston or Milano than the dunes of the Levant, soaked with sweat and blood and religionIsraelis had to convince themselves that the monsters outside could be tamed by an offer of a dream palace of their own."

Berlin, Germany

Milano, Lombardy, Italy