The Israeli public finds itself in grief and shock, but many pledge allegiance to war effort

By JULIA FRANKEL
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli public is in a state of shock and grief a week after Hamas militants launched an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing scores of people in border communities and kidnapping roughly 150 civilians. As families grieve the dead and agonize over the missing, many also pledge allegiance to the war effort, falling in line behind a government vowing total war on the Gaza Strip. TV stations run almost exclusively stories of despair and heroism. And even those critical of Israel’s far-right government say now is not the time for protest.