Dr. Tzahit Shoshanireceived her Ph.d in English Literature at the University of Haifa and lectures at the Netanya Academic College.
In the theater of the absurd where existential questions remain unanswered, actions are often vague and finishing lines remain at the same starting point in spite of an endless motion for purpose and accomplishment, Israel may have just missed the momentum of the limelight with all eyes worldwide anticipating a grand finale of the decapitation of the Iranian regime with its nuclear endeavors.
Samuel Beckett's play "Waiting for Godot" is the quintessential example of an absurdist theater and was in fact one of the inspirations for coining of the term. The two main characters, Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), passively and endlessly wait under a tree for a figure named Godot, a character whose essence and purpose remains undefined in any way, shape or form. Godot never does materialize and the characters continue to utterly fail to calibrate to that reality.
Even more cringe are the two other significant characters who pass their way who are similarly tied to limited conceptions and views, further symbolized by the rope they are both tied to. The wealthy and powerful Pozzo has enslaved his servant Lucky on a leash as the latter delivers Pozzo's bidding on demand in response to being whipped.
The ongoing bizarre interactions and dark humored episodes convey a sinking sense of meaningless progression inherent in life itself, yet a deeper understanding of the need to implement action emerges. A Didi/Bibi – Gogo/Galant equation of the characters is evoked as all the above annunciate a relentless call to action but end up executing contained conduct in actuality.
Pozzo parallels the force of entrapment by domination imposed by the Biden Administration, while Lucky mirrors Didi and Gogo's perceived dependence on a force which is grotesquely dictatorial.
Is the contained response to the Iranian regime only a calculated wait for Trump*? As the benefactor Pozzo throws Vladimir and Estragon a few bones (rather than some real food), the latter see him as integral to their survival while they wait for Godot for some kind of salvation. However, they were always free to take action at their own discretion.
In the play, Vladimir passionately calls for action: "Let us not waste our time in idle discourse! Let us do something, while we have the chance! …Let us make the most of it, before it is too late!" Yet, he ultimately chooses to wait for an ethereal Godot that may never come. And even if he were to come, the wait may have fatefully eroded an important opportunity to act when the time was ripe.
Pozzo ends up blind and ironically requires the direction of his slave (still tied to the rope) who has become mute in the interim. These changes cause all characters to fall to the ground while bumping into each other and collapsing, as the blind cannot see and the muted slave can no longer voice a warning. The wait for Trump might be fraught with irreversible changes on the ground, including the prospect that he may not get elected or that the Israeli government may be forced into concessions during that time.
Notwithstanding, Israel has managed to maintain leeway of action, in spite of the Biden Administration. Selectively not heeding the latter's admonitions and achieving some marked strategic successes as a result, Israel also paved the way to future breakthroughs to be picked up when the opportunities may arise under less restrained orchestration. If not, that would be absurd.
*or is it the necessary first step to destroy aerial capabilities that could affect a future attack on nuclear facilities, meaning that there is a plan?