In a normal year this is the season when profusions of wild red crown anemones bloom in the meadows and woodland of Israel's Gaza border region.Some of the most stunning places to see them are Shokeda, Beeri and Reim. Places with very different associations since the Hamas invasion of Israel and massacre, rape, torture and kidnapping of Israeli civilians on October 7th.
Darom Adom - Red South used to be about these magnificent native wildflowers. Today seeing this photo I took near Beeri a few years ago all I can think of is a very different Red South, one of blood and burnt out buildings and cars, horrific atrocities against Israeli and foreign expat babies, children, elderly, women and men.
This year I look at this photo and think of the heartbreaking memorial at Reim to the hundreds massacred at the music festival, silent signposts with photos of the victims standing upright in the open field like the winter anemones now blooming in the region.
Maybe the anemones are reminding us that fields of bloom can once again become full of life.
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