Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Before it is too late

It has been quiet for several days now.
An alert was just heard a couple minutes ago, and I hope it will be a single alert that is not a sign of a new shower of rockets. I did not hear the blast and hope it fell in an open field.

On Saturday a rocket hit with no warning. The blast was massive and the alert did not work this time. I got to the place which was about 300 meters from our home and a large crowd, police and ambulances were already there. The rocket fell on a side walk several meters from 2 kids that were injured. The younger kid (8) was severely hit and his leg had to be amputated. This is the worst event in some time. There have been many rockets but no severe injuries lately. In the past rockets have also caused fatalities.

The incident created a very strong impact in the town and was covered in depth by the media and more and more Israeli's are calling to enter Gaza with force, and "once and for all solve the Qassam rockets from being launched to Sderot and the area".

Citizens from Sderot have been protesting in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv calling to end the situation NOW.

Sderot is a small immigrant town of less that 20,000 people. It was built in the mid fifties. Most people have made a living from hard labor. The government and state institutions had never paid much attention to the town and the needs of people here and in other such towns in Israel. The people in Sderot now feel deserted. The rockets are falling and no one is doing anything about it.
The current civilian protest is in favor of solving the situation by forceful means.

This forceful solution that people are calling for is out of deep frustration and fear, and not out of a clear and thoughtful mind of what may happen once such a solution is put into action.

Israel has used much force over the past years in attempt to stop the rockets.
No forceful solutions has helped. On the contrary, the more force used, the more rockets have been launched.

The violent acts of the hammas have been feeding this violence machine by giving Israel excuses to attack and at the same time giving no future to their people.

And we the civilians are caught in the middle of this mindless and useless insanity causing us more and more pain, fear and frustration.

I call to the people Israeli's and Palestinians alike: Don't be fooled by your leaders to think that only violence will change your life for the better. All it will do is cause pain and lead to disaster.

Stop the violence before it is too late!

9 comments:

Israeli Blogger said...

"... No forceful solutions has helped. On the contrary, the more force used, the more rockets have been launched."

Isn't it a bit like an addiction?

People who are on drugs or alcohol know that these substances are bad for them in the long run, and eventually make the pain worse. But drugs and alcohol provide temporary relief from pain, so people can't resist the urge.

In a way, it's like the Israeli society is addicted to the short-term solutions offered by a military strike: get temporary relief from the attacks, while ignoring the long term effects which eventually make things worse.

Anonymous said...

there is hope.
there is peace.
they can be friends.
keep going guys. it's important!
tell us more from the everyday life.

Anonymous said...

Great blog. Please keep writing. It is my hope that the more voices we hear from what I like to call "the peaceful majorities", the more influence we can have on our leaders. Most people are peaceful, or at least they want to be, if only given the encouragement to do so.

Anonymous said...

the best to u 2 and the people who r so hurt. why cant it be more simple?

Anonymous said...

Dear Peace Man, dear Hope Man!

I read about your blog today in Ha'aretz Newspaper and read some of your letters now and I am really touched and very very happy to see this friendship alive! What an important step the two of you do - congratulation! This is the pathway to peace, this is how eventually some change will happen: by telling and listening to each other's story. Keep on going! I will do my best to get you more publicity on all sides - Israelis, Palestinians and Europeans - so that the closemouthed majority gets inspired and dares to speak out loud.
Good luck! All the best! Take care! And just that you know: there is more dialogue and I am part of it and we will continue to make the world see that this is what we want: Live in peace side by side.
Salam - shalom,
Ninanai

Me. said...

"... No forceful solutions has helped. On the contrary, the more force used, the more rockets have been launched."

I don't know if this is true, and in fact - there's no way to substantiate this claim. If Israel is taking out the people that order these attacks, and take out the places that make these missiles/mortars - then it stands to reason that they are lessening the ability of these groups to attack Israel.

What I Israel supposed to to otherwise? Just keep allowing these missiles/mortars to rain down on Hope man and his family?

Should they do nothing and hope then that Hamas/etc. will just stop also? Does anyone here expect that this would work? Israel left Gaza only to be rewarded by attacks..., so one should not expect that Hamas would just up and stop, right?

These "short-term" solutions are seemingly the only option at this point. What else should they do?

This blog is one answer - the more people that choose to support peace, the greater chance that there will be peace.

But, just saying that Israel has to change is not the answer. BOTH sides need to change.

Anonymous said...

Best wishes to both of you with this blog.

It is good to get your news from on the spot and to see how you both hope for peace.

Jonathan

Anonymous said...

I feel proud that you both are existing, alive and acting as you do. There is no better way to create peace than by acting in peace. And it is also very difficult to take away the fear, the resentment, and the pain all these events are impressing in the mind of all the people of each side of the border. I wish you strength and perserance in all your enterprises.

Evy

Anonymous said...

If violence is not the answer what is? Are you teaching your children peace or war? Are you standing up to your neighbors who teach their children war? Those who started this intifada are getting exactly what they wanted. Now they cannot stop its momentum.
I am so glad to see this friendship between the two of you. It needs to happen more often. Once we become concerned about others rather than ourselves, we will have peace. It is an individual thing, not a national thing.