Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day) closed the flag’n’grill season. With 7.7 million Israeli citizens, the days of May featured more flags and briquettes than the 1948 head count of 800,000. And there’s strong year-round flight of the blue & white. I recently heard a rookie visitor say that “the righties sure fly the flag here!” Ugh. The medina may have replaced the mishkan at the center of the Israelite camp, but no one tribe here captures the flag.

That appreciation of country runs deep may exacerbate the broad perception of lackluster leadership on chronic issues such as public sector strikes, degraded schools, the religious establishment’s power, and the situation with the Palestinians. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did rocket his Ha’aretz poll approval ratings from 38% to 51% with his “Churchillian” speeches in the U.S. (Rumor started here: AIPAC wired congressional reps to applause-o-meters.) Of course, Winston followed through.

President Barack Obama didn’t do as well with the Palestinians. The May 27 Jerusalem Post stated that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas “is reported to be extremely disappointed with Obama for allegedly ‘endorsing’ Netanyahu’s policies.” Among Israelis, that may account for the doubling of Obama’s “Pro-Israel” rating from his June 2009, post-Egypt-speech low of 6% to his current 12%, and the drop in his “Pro-Palestinian” rating from 50% to 40%, according to the most recent Jerusalem Post / Rafi Smith Poll. Remarkably consistent has been his “Neutral” rating, 36% then and 34% now, though that only matters if anyone’s seeking an honest broker.

Spin ‘em as you want. Meanwhile, the physicians’ work stoppages continue. For some, that too is an existential issue.

Here’s some pix for y’all of the local colors. Oseh chayyim.