Psychologist on the situation in Israel: "Each of us is broken in some way"

Interview with psychologist about the situation in Israel "Each of us is broken somehow" As of: October 27, 2026 • 4:51 p.m

Fear, sadness and political division have characterized Israel since October 7, 2023. According to psychologist Roth, the country is in a deep identity crisis. Hope gives her a choice - it could become a new beginning.

tagesschau.de: Ms. Roth, since the attack by the terrorist organization Hamas there has been talk of a collective trauma in Israel. Israel is now electing a new parliament for the first time since then. How did October 7th and the war that followed change society?

Merav Roth: We are in a deep identity crisis, that's what I would call it. We don't just grieve for the people we lost. The atmosphere in the country and trust in the world have changed. Trust in our government has collapsed or at least been severely shaken. We have lost our social balance and have lost all security. The idea that we are the "never again land" of our parents and grandparents, where all the bad things that were done to Jews cannot happen because it is their country - that has all been taken away from us.

About Merav Roth is a clinical psychologist and trauma expert. After October 7, 2023, the 59-year-old also accompanied survivors of the Hamas massacre, released hostages and their families. Roth is the daughter of Holocaust survivor and former deputy prime minister Josef Lapid. Her brother Jair Lapid is now Israel's opposition leader. tagesschau.de: How does this express itself to people?

Roth: People sit in restaurants, in the theater and seem full of joy for life. But if you look closer, you can also see the desperation. Depression and suicide have increased sharply. Thousands of Israelis left the country because they couldn't take it anymore. Many people are sad and withdrawn. Others harbor feelings of revenge and violence. And still others are completely disconnected from reality. All variants are an expression of trauma suffered. We are a traumatized society. Each of us is broken in some way.

tagesschau.de: Many Israelis not only experienced the Hamas massacre as drastic, but also the years after it: the fear for the hostages, the fighting in the Gaza Strip, the threat from Iran and Hezbollah.

According to one report, Israel was warned by Egypt about the attack. Prime Minister Netanyahu denies this. more

tagesschau.de: How can you deal with it?

Roth: As a therapist, I remind people that they are still responsible for their lives. It is our responsibility to ensure that we do not lose hope in how we want to live our lives, that we do not give in to revenge or despair. We have a choice about how we move forward, as individuals and as a society.

tagesschau.de: Israel has been through several wars since its founding. Can we learn from the experiences to deal with current traumas?

Roth: October 7th was unique in its impact. 1,200 people were brutally murdered in one day and 251 others were kidnapped. We waited more than two years for the last one to come home to us. At the same time, I found that my experience as the daughter of a Holocaust survivor helped me.

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tagesschau.de: How important is it for this future to come to terms with the political failure around October 7th? Roth: We know from the treatment of victims of abuse how crucial the recognition of the attack is for the healing process. To date, however, the government has not allowed an independent investigation. This contributes to the trauma.

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Roth: You see, as babies we learn that we are safe in our parents' arms. That big takes care of little. Our healthy world is built on this, it is an ethical imperative. Then this world is shattered by trauma and no one takes responsibility. The parents don't even acknowledge the attack on their baby and don't want any explanation. They are abandoning their child. And that's how many Israelis still feel today.

tagesschau.de: To what extent will this determine the election? Before the election, Prime Minister Netanyahu focused primarily on the issues of strength and security.

Roth: I think it's central. An abusive father deliberately plays on his children's deepest fears in order to drive them into his arms as a supposedly protective father figure. But many people, including the families of the hostages and survivors, need and are fighting for recognition. Coming to terms with the past is also a key promise of the opposition parties who want change.

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tagesschau.de: To what extent have the experiences of the last few years influenced politics?

Roth: The polarization did not only increase with the wars, but even before that, when hundreds of thousands demonstrated in the streets against Netanyahu's judicial reform and the dismantling of democracy. Since October 7th, this division has become even more pronounced. At the same time we stopped talking to each other.

I wouldn't say that society as a whole has moved to the right. Extremists like Itamar Ben-Gvir (Israel's police minister, editor's note) are of course the most noticed; they are part of the government and very dangerous. But there is also a very large group of people who want their democracy and their liberal values ​​back.

The political landscape in Israel has changed in recent years. What about the left camp? more

tagesschau.de: Israel's left used to advocate coexistence with the Palestinians. However, after October 7th, many of them also said that they could no longer imagine such a future.

tagesschau.de: Do you think understanding is still possible after October 7th and the Gaza war?

Roth: The prerequisite is that after a period of mourning we acknowledge reality. The denial, dehumanization and demonization of others must stop and be replaced with acceptance. This is a long road and requires clarification, but it is possible.

We must once again take responsibility for the complexity of our situation, including for the other person as a human being. It also means acknowledging the trauma and cruelty we have inflicted on each other. That doesn't mean we want to live in a cruel world. If we want something different for our children, we must raise them to live a peaceful life.

One year after the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, many people there continue to live in distress. more

Roth: The bitterness about this cannot be conveyed. Many people confuse Israel's government with the people of the country. At the same time, not everyone who is angry with us is anti-Semitic - many are justified in their criticism. They showed solidarity with us and were forced to turn their backs on us. But they also turn their backs on those people in Israel who share their values.

In Israel, too, many people feel their morals have been hurt and are fighting for liberal democracy, an end to the war, and the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and Israeli society. I am confident that those who criticize us now will become our friends again should there be a political change.

As a psychoanalyst, I firmly believe in the possibility of mourning trauma and building something new out of destruction. The elections could be a platform to start this process.

The interview was conducted by Anne Armbrecht for tagesschau.de. It was translated and adapted from English for written form.

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