Erich M.

Current state: semi-collapsed at home after a long day of voting, commuting on packed highways, a 6-hour shift as ballot observers in a Likud-leaning area, tweeting and giving a couple of interviews. But downstairs the kids and their friends are already gathered, little Amalia is being read a book, crackers and cheese and plenty of alcohol are laid out. Soon one or two dozens of our neighbors and friends will flock in. The number of dogs is already 3 and climbing. We will all hold our breath for the 22:00 (Israel time) exit polls in three TV channels (not the bibist ch 14). Eli and I have been hosting this election-night get togethers since 1992. I am desperately tired and worried, despite the collective adrenaline. Rumors say all sorts of things. Including a forecast that Likud May outperform Eisenkot’s Yashar and that the ultra Orthodox are voting massively. Also, the “double envelopes”, mainly from soldiers on duty, will take a few days to count and may grant Ben Gvir an extra seat. A good performance of the Change Bloc *and* the Arab parties will be good, but also push the tension up to the next level: will Eisenkot, and more pointedly Liberman, agree to form a government with Abbas and possibly the Joint List? This is our evening of discontent, apprehension, fervent hope, stark realism. Stay tuned.

Israel’s liberal-democratic muscle is now flexed to the utmost. The result may be epic. Or epically tragic. Think of us tomorrow, friends.