“I bless you every day. You are our Messiah!”

The elderly woman was visibly excited as she spoke to the leader of the Opposition, former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It happened April 20, on the esplanade in Tiberias, during the weeklong Passover holiday. After the long coronavirus lockdown, Israelis are finally returning to the northern vacation town, packing the hotels and camping sites along the shores of the Sea of Galilee.

On that particular day, several residents of Tiberias were delighted to run into Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, out for a stroll, surrounded by police and security guards. For half an hour, the couple were greeted with calls of support and encouragement: “Bibi, you are number one! Come back!” the crowd shouted, referring to the former prime minister by his nickname. “Bibi, we love you!” “Here’s Bibi! Bibi is here!” “Bibi, King of Israel!” 

Netanyahu climbed up on a platform and waved, holding a megaphone that an aide had the foresight to bring along. “Hello to the people of Tiberias!” he called, like a rock star. “It’s no coincidence that we’re here. We love Tiberias, so we visit Tiberias all the time, especially during the Passover holiday. And we love you!”