And Another Thing....

Since I got back two weeks ago, I have been steadily trying to process a whole boatload of information. The sheer normalcy of everyday life in Israel is astounding. People ride the buses and trains, go to the markets and supermarkets, eat in cafes and restaurants, go to the beach, walk in the parks, and even now, have an ear open to the sirens even though there is currently somewhat of a cessation of hostilities. I say somewhat because everyone knows this is not over. Armed Hamas fighters are reported to be hiding out throughout the tunnels. My friend (and cohort in adventure) Jen has a wonderful blog and wrote about our trip to Nova, but this section was edited out. I asked her for it because she wrote what I could not. 

Bomb shelter at Nova/photo by Jen

 Both at the Nova site and at Tkuma there are bomb shelters and signs posted in Israel's three official languages (Arabic, English and Hebrew) instructing you what you need to do in case there is a missile alert.

There are bomb shelters at all the bus stops and public areas in the Gaza Envelope and if no shelter is available, you lay down on the ground and cover your head. You have 15 seconds to get to a safe place.

  

On October 7th, the terrorists first fired multiple rockets into Israel and counted on people herding themselves into bomb shelters and make their murderous attack more "efficient." The terrorists killed anyone they encountered. They didn't stop to ask if you were Jewish, Muslim or Christian, Ba'hai or Buddhist. They didn't stop to ask if you were in favor of a Palestinian state or not. They killed and have been doing it nearly non-stop since Israel left Gaza in 2005. That's nearly 20 years ago.

Today, the United Nations Security Council approved President Felon's 20 point "peace plan" for Gaza, Hamas did not. In a statement, Hamas leadership did not. The Washington Post reported:

Hamas, in a statement, said the resolution “does not meet the level” of Palestinian political and humanitarian demands. 

 “It imposes a mechanism to achieve the [Israeli] occupation’s objectives,” the group said. 

Turning in their weapons, as the peace plan demands, Hamas said, “must remain an internal national matter” tied to the end of the Israeli occupation....

...While initial elements of the plan — a ceasefire, the release of Israeli hostages held by Hamas and expansion of humanitarian aid to Gaza — have at least partially been carried out, the rest has been stalled.

The U.S.-sponsored resolution enshrines the complete plan in international law, establishing a vaguely defined Board of Peace, headed by Trump with membership chosen by him, that for two years will control virtually every aspect from security and governance to reconstruction of Gaza.

The highlight is mine. Draw your own conclusions, just make sure you follow the money.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch.... sources in Gaza report that Hamas is stockpiling weapons outside Gaza. The Palestinian Authority was approached and asked not to destroy their arsenal, but to hold it for Hamas. The PA, in an odd moment of clarity, declines the request.  KAN-news floated an unsourced report that Hamas was stockpiling weapons in Yemen and unnamed African states with the intent of smuggling them into Gaza. Since the report is unsourced and I could not find other confirmation, I'm not endorsing this theory. HOWEVER, (and is there always a however) it's not a big stretch to see the possibilities there. Additionally, there are grumbles that President Felon is considering dropping the disarmament portion of the "peace plan." 

And if you're wondering why this is not acceptable, look at this picture.

This is not a playground climbing toy. This is a playground bomb shelter in Sderot, the city that has been under constant siege since 2005..when Israel left Gaza. That's right. Israel vacated Gaza and Hamas began firing missiles at Sderot. It is not a military installation or an armaments manufacturing center. It is a town whose schoolyards are in missile range of Hamas. Children in Sderot only know life with bomb shelters...some even have underground play areas because being above ground is not reliably safe during the day, at night, whenever. 

The children of Sderot have spent the last 20 years living a reality no one wants to acknowledge exists. But it does. Herein lies one of the biggest differences between Israel and Hamas-controlled Gaza: Hamas built tunnels to protect their fighters, not their civilians. Israel built happy looking bomb shelters and underground playgrounds to protect their children. 

Think about that for a while.

The Wifely Person's Tip o'the Week

If you haven't been to Israel, you don't get to have an opinion

about life there because you don't know squat.

If you haven't been to Israel lately, you need to go back.

Israel defies the imagination. 

It's frickin' magic....warts, faults, and all.