I was still at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv when my mobile rang. Rottem, the head of the news department, asked me how I was doing. 'They opened up my belly last night,' I grumbled, 'took my appendix out, closed me up with staple pins and left.' It hurt. 'Well, you sound like you're all right now,' he said rather bluntly. 'I'm sure you can make it to the Herzliya Conference in two days' time. There's a panel about Iran or Lebanon or something from your field, and I want you to cover it.' Before I could decide on an answer - this was an attractive offer for a beginner journalist - he went on: 'Actually, I've put your name down on the list.' I looked at the nurse coming towards me and asked for a painkiller.

LRB 22 February 2007 | PDF Download