Today we all woke up to an unexpectedly quiet morning and messages of a 12-hour humanitarian cease-fire on our screens. Hesitantly we used the opportunity to go to a neighborhood swimming pool, many people went to the beach. The summer pleasures we started to forget while hiding at home in anticipation of the missile sirens. I know that in Gaza for many it was a much sadder day, to bury the dead and the necessity restocking day.
Yesterday, the Shabbat dinner went in front of the TV screens waiting for the Cabinet's decision to accept or reject the US and Egypt-brokered cease fire, while the local and International journalists discussed each outcome. What the US news source didn't say is that this Knesset meeting was long and heated, lasting about 4 hours. No one doubted that lives of many people on both sides were at stake. We learned that the meeting ended at about 10:30pm when the rocket sirens went off and a few missiles exploded in the air. As my brother's family were our dinner guests, I sent my mom a pitiful picture of four of her grand-kids hiding in a shelter together.
Surprisingly, no government official appeared before the waiting journalists to explain the Cabinet's decision. All the members rushed home leaving the bewildered journalists, the Israeli population and the whole world to guess as to why. I am starting to think that this is an Achilles Heal of the Israeli culture and politics, possibly influenced by the Macho Military Discipline that most citizens go through. Do not explain your behavior. Do not explain your reasoning. Why bother making others understand you and bringing them to your side. You thought it through - just do it. And do not explain or apologize if you turned to be wrong. This theory for me explains the lack of any serious PR Israel is producing for years, and especially throughout this operation, the silence after the UN school bombing in Gaza (explanation for which the whole world is still waiting for), as well as the absence of details regarding yesterday's cease-fire rejection.
Most of the people and media I saw today actually agree with the Cabinets's decision of the cease-fire rejection. What I heard is:
- Apparently the agreement didn't allow Israelis enough time to finish destroying the tunnels.
- There is suspicion that a long cease-fire period and new supplies will allow Hamas to recoup.
- If we stop now, the rockets will continue to be fired at the South as for years before.
- If we stop now, the war will result in Hamas gaining even more popularity among the Palestinians.
Despite the lack of government's communication with the public, the majority of the public does support the government wholeheartedly in this operation. Because now the rockets are not only fired to the South and not occasionally but everywhere and daily if not hourly. We all live in constant fear of sirens and explosions. You can also see what is going on above us now on this map: Redalert.co.il or by downloading the RedAlert smartphone app.
Like in the World War 2 stories and movies, everyone here supports the operation in some way:
- People are collecting money and buying necessity supplies for soldiers.
- Many are visiting wounded soldiers at the hospitals, donating blood.
- Kibbytzim in the North have welcomed people from the Kibbytzim in the South.
- Organizations are gathering toys and clothes for people in the South.
- Scouts are helping elderly people shut at home to buy medicine and food.
- Actors are doing free performances for residents of the South.
- Thousands of people had come to the lone soldiers funerals to create the large extended family these soldiers didn't have in Israel.
If you are looking for ways to help, I posted a list of organizations in my previous post.
In our daughter's day care, the teacher, who is also the day care owner, was called to the reservists service. His duty is what is called here - a Town Officer - who is part of a team that notifies the families of fallen soldiers.
The day care is continuing to function with the assistant teachers. We are now getting an instant message after every rocket attack from them that everything is OK as the day care doesn't have a shelter.
Saturday evening. Relying on the extended cease fire we decide to go to a theater in Tel Aviv leaving the kids with my father. Ironically, the play is titled: "Everyone wants to live." Near Rabin square we are stuck in a heavy traffic because of a starting stop-the-invasion now demonstration. At 22:30 we see our phone screen flash with notice of cease-fire break with renewal of rockets to the South and Central Israel. The 3,000 people demonstration is dispersed by the police as larger than 300 people gatherings are dangerous at the time of rockets. On our way back home we hear the announcement of times and places for funerals of each of the six Israeli soldiers who died since Friday afternoon.
Yesterday, the Shabbat dinner went in front of the TV screens waiting for the Cabinet's decision to accept or reject the US and Egypt-brokered cease fire, while the local and International journalists discussed each outcome. What the US news source didn't say is that this Knesset meeting was long and heated, lasting about 4 hours. No one doubted that lives of many people on both sides were at stake. We learned that the meeting ended at about 10:30pm when the rocket sirens went off and a few missiles exploded in the air. As my brother's family were our dinner guests, I sent my mom a pitiful picture of four of her grand-kids hiding in a shelter together.
Surprisingly, no government official appeared before the waiting journalists to explain the Cabinet's decision. All the members rushed home leaving the bewildered journalists, the Israeli population and the whole world to guess as to why. I am starting to think that this is an Achilles Heal of the Israeli culture and politics, possibly influenced by the Macho Military Discipline that most citizens go through. Do not explain your behavior. Do not explain your reasoning. Why bother making others understand you and bringing them to your side. You thought it through - just do it. And do not explain or apologize if you turned to be wrong. This theory for me explains the lack of any serious PR Israel is producing for years, and especially throughout this operation, the silence after the UN school bombing in Gaza (explanation for which the whole world is still waiting for), as well as the absence of details regarding yesterday's cease-fire rejection.
Most of the people and media I saw today actually agree with the Cabinets's decision of the cease-fire rejection. What I heard is:
- Apparently the agreement didn't allow Israelis enough time to finish destroying the tunnels.
- There is suspicion that a long cease-fire period and new supplies will allow Hamas to recoup.
- If we stop now, the rockets will continue to be fired at the South as for years before.
- If we stop now, the war will result in Hamas gaining even more popularity among the Palestinians.
Despite the lack of government's communication with the public, the majority of the public does support the government wholeheartedly in this operation. Because now the rockets are not only fired to the South and not occasionally but everywhere and daily if not hourly. We all live in constant fear of sirens and explosions. You can also see what is going on above us now on this map: Redalert.co.il or by downloading the RedAlert smartphone app.
Like in the World War 2 stories and movies, everyone here supports the operation in some way:
- People are collecting money and buying necessity supplies for soldiers.
- Many are visiting wounded soldiers at the hospitals, donating blood.
- Kibbytzim in the North have welcomed people from the Kibbytzim in the South.
- Organizations are gathering toys and clothes for people in the South.
- Scouts are helping elderly people shut at home to buy medicine and food.
- Actors are doing free performances for residents of the South.
- Thousands of people had come to the lone soldiers funerals to create the large extended family these soldiers didn't have in Israel.
If you are looking for ways to help, I posted a list of organizations in my previous post.
In our daughter's day care, the teacher, who is also the day care owner, was called to the reservists service. His duty is what is called here - a Town Officer - who is part of a team that notifies the families of fallen soldiers.
The day care is continuing to function with the assistant teachers. We are now getting an instant message after every rocket attack from them that everything is OK as the day care doesn't have a shelter.
Saturday evening. Relying on the extended cease fire we decide to go to a theater in Tel Aviv leaving the kids with my father. Ironically, the play is titled: "Everyone wants to live." Near Rabin square we are stuck in a heavy traffic because of a starting stop-the-invasion now demonstration. At 22:30 we see our phone screen flash with notice of cease-fire break with renewal of rockets to the South and Central Israel. The 3,000 people demonstration is dispersed by the police as larger than 300 people gatherings are dangerous at the time of rockets. On our way back home we hear the announcement of times and places for funerals of each of the six Israeli soldiers who died since Friday afternoon.
Don't be a victim of politicial power games and brain washing, check
ReplyDelete#JewsAndArabsRefuseToBeEnemies
The French Revolution - fight for liberty, equality, and fraternity - was done by the PEOPLE.
ReplyDeleteThe German Wall - crossed and climbed and removed by the PEOPLE.
To all people in Israel and Palestine/Gaza:
Don't wait until the government stops this war - it never really did! Don't allow any government destroy your life - YOU have the power!