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Assessing the Damage: How the Events of October 7, 2023, Have Conditioned the Israeli Psyche

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Irwin J. Mansdorf, PhD - The Oct. 7 attack on Israel and its aftermath have had significant emotional and behavioral impact on the Israeli public. On a national and communal level, daily life continues to flow in the face of an ongoing and unresolved conflict, with an ever-present threat of additional and expanded conflict. The continued imprisonment of Israeli hostages and the forced displacement of tens of thousands of residents in the north has created significant trauma for those affected. Externally, the reality of international criticism against Israel, even from allies, along with the revival of massive international antisemitism, has created a feeling of isolation and a siege mentality. The concept of psychological asymmetry, where Israel, despite its military advantage and legitimate goals, is at a disadvantage to an enemy who deliberately sacrifices civilians for perceptual gain, applies here. Despite all this, Israelis have also benefitted from an inoculation effect where resilience has developed through repeated coping with terrorism in its many forms over the years. The writer is a clinical psychologist and a fellow at the Jerusalem Center specializing in political psychology.
2024-08-20 00:00:00
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