Or Edry, Jango - The first days of summer

I never thought I'd be happy to have Naftali Bennett as Prime Minister but at the moment it seems to be the best and only option. The pact at the center of the new government between right-wing Bennet and centrist Yair Lapid may seem unlikely but these two have History. Bennett and Lapid first joined forces in 2013 when the pact they made forced Netanyahu to form a government with them and without the ultra-Orthodox parties. Watching their courtship this time felt like watching a strange rom-com, complete with the 'will they/won't they' tension and the conflict at three quarters which the heroes must overcome in order to be together. In this case, it was the escalation in Gaza that temporarily brought Bennett back into Netanyahu's arms and made any type of coalition with the Islamic Party Ra'am seem unlikely. But the war is behind us (as always we did our best to forget about it as quickly as possible) and though the delicate deal could still unravel, there's a genuine sense of hope and optimism. I couldn't help but feel emotional seeing the picture of Mansour Abbas, the head of Ra'am, sign the coalition agreement with Bennett and Lapid. This would have been unthinkable just a few months ago and even if the government won't hold up, there has been a monumental change. The irony is that Netanyahu himself legitimized the partnership with the Arab party but Abbas decided to go with more trustworthy partners. It's true that Bennett is more ideologically right-wing than Netanyahu, but there's hope that the left-wing parties will balance things out and a government under Netanyahu would have meant a government with the dangerous extreme-extreme-right Jewish Power party. In any case, it's about time that teenagers about to enter adulthood get to experience a different kind of government, one that will serve the interests of the country and not just one man.

I chose this song because it conveys a sense of optimism and a fresh beginning but there is still an underlying feeling of mystery and darkness. The song was first performed by Josie Katz in 1977 and this cover is part of the excellent tribute album 'Taken out of context' with covers to songs written by the legendary Yankele Rotblit.

And the days are the first days of summer

The first days

In the orchards sabra and the olive tree

A silent breeze

Walked past on a dirt road

Days of harvest, days of songs and melodies

Days of harvest, days of songs and melodies

Walked past on a dirt road

The first days of summer

A fair maiden with gold string threads

Velvet fabric

A crystal ball in the hands of a magician

Appears transparent

Walked past on a dirt road...

And who was that young man

You will want to ask

He had walked in the clothes of the king

Prince of darkness

Walked past on a dirt road...