A Calmer Mood in Israel

At this moment, the “Government of National Unity” has been in office here in Jerusalem for almost a year and a half. It almost came apart in April, and whether it will still be in existence by the time this is published, nobody knows. When October comes, will Shimon Peres step down and Yitshak Shamir pick up the crown as envisaged in the “rotation” agreement of 1984? Only the most foolhardy are ready to bet their hard-earned money (now in “new” and stable shekels) one way or the other.

What is remarkable is how fast and how far the mood of the country (something quite distinct from the cacophony of conflicting beliefs) has changed under this regime. Coalition politics, the necessity to plaster ...