Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Quiet before the storm

As the weather outside is very stormy right now I have to mention the fact that the past few days have been extaordinarily quiet.
Only one siren was heard over the weekend, and nothing since.
I hope it is not the quiet that comes before the storm.

I am not sure why it is quiet and many reasons can be given:
1. The weather... It's too cold and both sides want to stay warm. After all the soldiers are all human.
2. Israel has stopped most of it's actions in Gaza, and so has the Hammas, waiting to see who will start the next violet act...
3. The opening of the border in between Gaza and Egypt has eased the pressure on the people in Gaza and all the energy and attention is drawn to whet is going on there.
4. No special reason at all. This has been going on for 7 years. There may be a month or 2 with hardly any violence and then it suddenly breaks out. Each side blames the other.

Anyway there have been some periods of quiet over the years, and they let us breath and give us hope. If it can be quiet for a day then why not for a week, a month, a few months, a year, many many years?
It is possible, I am sure. The quiet creates hope and may enable both sides to think of ways to create some kind of normality.

There are so many issues that need to be dealt with and if this blog seems "nice" to the readers, don't be mistaken. In Gaza there is desperate need for serious development in every area of life:
Employment, Welfare, Education, Housing, infrastructure etc. etc. etc. If these things are neglected, then it is just a matter of time before the next eruption of violence.

In Sderot many have left the town for fear of the rockets and many wish to return if Sderot returns to be the quiet small town in used to be. Before year 2000 Sderot was developing very rapidly. Over the past years all areas of life have been harmed by the situation: Employment, Welfare, Education, Housing, infrastructure etc. etc. etc.

Unfortunately I don't see initiatives to make the real change that is needed.
The money and resources needed to give hope and allow people in Gaza and Sderort to feel there is a future are much, much less than all that is wasted on walls, fences, guns, rockets, troops and other weapons.

Seeds of hope need to be planted and nurished on both sides. These can bring about real change and then going to Ramallah (together) will be a natural thing.

Monday, January 28, 2008

hope

This is the third time I go with my friends to Egypt. Even though it was difficult it was enjoyable.
We couldn’t leave Gaza for such a long time ,so its was a chance to leave Gaza for some time to feel that we are free to leave, even though this is not what we dream for, it gave us hope for freedom.
We walked with the hope to go to Al-Arish to see another friend there .

It was so difficult to reach the town of Sheikh Zuwaid, and we couldn’t find a lot of goods, and what we did find was double in price.

On the return, we found a Palestinian driver with his car going to Gaza he was in Al-Arish
On our way we talked. My friend said that next time we will go to Ramallah by car Everyone laughed because it is impossible for all of us under these conditions and I told them why not every thing possible if we stick with hope. I will try to go today again to see if its will be open, I hope the border will still be open.

Friday, January 25, 2008

Open passage

I was amazed at the pictures of thousands of people from Gaza flooding the border between Gaza and Egypt at the Rafah border.
The closure that Israel imposed on Gaza could not continue for long. Life is stronger than armies and governments. The current solution is not a long term one, however I am very glad to see civilians getting supplies that are so badly needed.

On Saturday there will be a demonstration on both sides of the border calling to stop the siege.
On the Israeli side there will be many pro peace organizations taking part, however the majority of Israelis are not supportive of such demonstrations.

Both sides want peace however in my opinion there must first be a bilateral call for stopping the violence. Both sides can identify with such a call. Both sides need to stop the violence. Once this is done peacful solutions will very quickly start falling in to place.

My call to both sides is "STOP THE VIOLENCE NOW" I am sure that this will allow to stop the siege and enable peaceful progress. This should be a call from all civilians on both sides to the militants on both sides. This can really make a difference in how we see each other. Each side wants the violence to stop but many do not believe that civilians on the other side believe this as well.
"STOP THE VIOLENCE NOW"

Thursday, January 24, 2008

A Day in Egypt

Thousands of Palestinians entered to the Egyptian side , because Hamas exploded the barrier between Palestine and Egypt I didn't want to go there, but my friends convinced me because they wanted to buy some goods non-existent here in Gaza any more .

We went there, but even up there you have to walk about 30 kilometers between the fields and deserts,but people were happy because this is the first time since one year to leave gaza.

Most of the population has been buying what they need but at a price even higher than in Gaza .

On our way there we discussed many things , and one of the subjects is peace between us and Israel ,and the surprise is that it was agreed that peace is rejected because of the suffering and blockade.
One of them told me if Israel wants peace ,they should open crossings and eased the life for the Palestinian, because no one will blame hamas but they will support them ,he said hamas have a lot of money for many years and they can have great life .

I told them that a lot of Israelis supporting peace, but the government does not want that. And Many of them helping the Palestinians as much as they can, but they doesn’t have any power to make resolution, and thy suffering for you .
People lost hope of peace because of what they have in both side ,but we still have hope tats positive change will happen ,and war won’t make any different ,and if we think as human .

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Winter Day

It was good to get some rain today. Not enough though. Our region never has enough rain so it is blessed when it comes.
There were several Qassam rockets today. No one injured. All in open fields. My eldest kid heard 2 alerts today. One on the way to school and one on the way back. When telling me about it, he told me that several years ago when he was smaller the Qassam rockets were scarier even though there were lass rockets falling. I asked him why and he said that there are 2 reasons: In the past there were no alerts, so the rockets fell suddenly without warning, and secondly he said that he got used to it so he knows what to do and what to expect.
I am still very concerned about my kids whenever there is a rocket fall and my kids are not around. But I too have in many ways gotten used to it. It is far from being comfortable and we live in continuous pain and uncertainty. But it turns out that even to this it is possible to get used to.
Peace man and I believe that peace is possible. Peace man's friends relatives and neighbors all want peace just as me, my relatives and neighbors want this peace and quiet.
The strange thing is that most people I know do not believe that most Palestinians (and especially people from Gaza) want peace. I also hear the same from Peace man. They all say they want peace but do not believe that most Israeli's want it. How amazing that in this "communication age" people are completely unable to communicate when it is most needed.
I do not believe that the politicians on either side really see their own people and definitely do not see the other side's people. If they did they would see we are all the same. I have long ago stopped believing they can bring a positive change.
We are so much alike. All we want are simple things: A safe place to live, a place to work, food, water, freedom to move from place to place, a home, a family. That's about it. If we all had these simple things, there would be very little to fight about.
Rain keeps falling. Let it fall and clean our hearts and souls.

Gazza today

I'm sorry that I couldn’t write yesterday ,because we didn’t have electricity ,and today Israel's government allowed fuel to enter Gaza .
I was taking with my friend yesterday about our media and they make things difficult for both side and how its frustrating to hear them .
For me if I would not have known Hope man I would believe the media ,but I know him very well ,and I know how much he's willing to help the Palestinians ,even I didn’t know how this strong friendship I have with him ,specially when we have the same dream for peace and free life for two people .
Today I was talking with friends about peace ,and how life will be with out killing .
They told me that’s you still dreaming ,with hamas and olmart there is no peace ,and we forgot this word ,but I say we will Fight till we get it ,and we wish that’s real leaders from both side and from the world to come ,and I wish that’s moment to Achieve our dreams.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Frustration and Hope

Last evening a rocket fell not far from our home. No one was physically hurt. In the news very little was said. We are used to hearing the alerts, then running into the secured rooms and waiting to hear the rocket/rockets fall. There are usually about 15-20 seconds from the alert until the fall. This gives us enough time to find a safe place to hide only if we are at home or near a secured shelter.
All over Sderot there are shelters that allow people to hide in from the rockets. many times there is not enough time to hide. 15 seconds is not enough if you are in a car or more than 30 meters from a shelter.
at times we hear the falls while running to the shelter. At times there is no alert. These are the most concerning events.
It seems like the Hamas has decided to stop the current rocket launching. Israel seems to have also been less active in Gaza today. The blockade and siege on Gaza continues. Electricity seems to be the main problem. I am not sure Peace man will be able to write today.
It's quite amazing that we still live a quite normal life. Kids going to school, work, friends and mostly a normal life. I know that on the other side of the border life goes on even though there is much more suffering.
In a way Peace man an I we share allot. We are both feel helpless in making a big change though we try to make little changes. We keep going even though there is so much frustration and anger at the unbearable situation. I am much freer than Peace man. I have the ability to travel, work, and make choices. Peace man is in the Gaza prison. I feel the shame of being part of a country that has been a part in causing this pain. I am also frustrated not to see real leadership on both sides wanting to re-conciliate and create a new future for both people.
I am frustrated but refuse to loose hope. It is never too late to make a difference. Never too late to change.

Sunday, January 20, 2008

situation in Gaza

Today it was quiet in Gaza also, as there is no military operations or dead people ,which is better than the previous days, where about 38 Palestinians killed.

After months of increasingly harsh sanctions, Israel imposed a total closure on the Strip's border crossings, even preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid, and fuel.

The Gaza Strip's power plant will shut down today Sunday because it no longer has the fuel needed to keep running. One of the plant's two electricity-generating turbines had already shut down by noon.
Today I went to the market ,and I found all the price is double ,and all the people in Gaza worried because of the of closing boarders .

I hope ,I can write again because of the electricity .
Peace man

First post

Today has been quiet so far. Only one siren went off. I heard one faint rocket fall in a far distance and another somewhat closer. Not too close.
I was glad that all my kids were already in school and not anywhere near the falling rockets.
The past week was very difficult. Probably close to 200 rockets with several people wounded. A couple rockets fell in a range of 40-60 meters from our home. One fell without any preparation (siren) and caught me in the shower.

This morning I called my friend "Peace man" from Gaza. He told me that things have been quiet today. Israel has cut all fuel and goods supply to Gaza. This means that they have electricity only an hour or so a day. He fears that the electricity will shut down completely. I asked about food. He told me that prices have gone up even more do to the lack of goods.

In the past week Israel has been using more force than in the past few months. This has brought about a new chain of violence with many Palestinians killed. About half of them unarmed civilians. As a result the Hamas which has stopped firing rockets to Israel for several months has once again started shelling Sderot.

We decided to start this Blog to bring to people's awareness the true nature of what 2 peace seeking people on both sides of this insane situation are feeling, thinking and going through.

We will both try to write here on as often as possible. I hope Peace man will have electricity to write.