In the home of the most iconic writer in contemporary Israeli literature, Etgar Keret, there is a quietness that seems indescribable to others in Tel Aviv. Why? Because Keret has uninstalled the Tzofar app from his mobile phone, which millions of Israelis use to receive notifications of rockets if they reach the country. "The probability of a missile hitting you is low. And the chance of you being hit personally is extremely small. I don't want to enter this collective state of panic," he explains with a calm smile, despite the discontent of his neighbors.
This week has brought renewed alarm and tension in Gaza and Israel, bringing back the usual fear of war. Keret recalls a previous conversation with reporters from last October: "It's not over yet," he had told them then, predicting that the conflict would not cease after a ceasefire.
His analysis of Israeli governance and war strategy is clear: "For two and a half years, Benjamin Netanyahu has been setting goals that cannot be achieved, a total victory over Hamas, impossible ceasefire conditions. The idea is to keep the people tense by promising them a perfect future. But when the problem is not really solved, the war returns."
Keret describes the situation as a movie that never ends. He explains that people live on the daily news, waiting for something new to happen: an attack, an assassination, or an important political announcement. "It's a psychological experiment. Millions of people hope for the end of the war, but they are always wrong. There is no clear plan, neither war nor diplomatic."
He does not change his opinion about the threat that Iran poses to Israel. "It is a major threat to Israel and the world. Neutralization is necessary, but the way Trump is acting makes no sense." Keret emphasizes that the ongoing war in Gaza and the tension with Iran are fog, without a post-crisis strategy.
From a domestic perspective, he also points out social issues that often go unaddressed: settler activities in the West Bank, high crime in Arab communities that Itamar Ben Gvir's police do not pursue, and the rise of anti-Semitism, which affects even those not connected to politics.
For Keret, all of this is part of the daily Israeli "movie" and he, like many others, lives within it.
Interview with the Israeli writer by La Repubblica journalist Francesca Caferri
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