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Sleepless in Sderot
As rockets from Gaza rain down on her neighborhood, Laura Bialis wonders how the western media still manages to portray Israel as the aggressors in this weekend's bloody conflict.
Living in Sderot these days is all about listening and waiting. It feels like there is going to be a real War. You can hear everything. Sometimes we hear a far away boom. We look at each other and say: “Must be us. Must be us bombing them.” We hear helicopters. The first time I heard a helicopter here I realized suddenly that this isn’t LA. Its not a news helicopter or a police helicopter, or most likely not even a hospital helicopter. A helicopter here can only be one thing. IDF. The first time I heard airplanes, I realized there was no airport around here. You hear airplanes and they are military airplanes. If they are loud, probably F-16s.
I am living here in Sderot, making a film about the situation through the eyes of Sderot’s musicians. I live with Avi Vaknin, one of the musicians in my film, and Aner Moss, who is working as my cinematographer.
I am sad and angry today. It has been a really difficult week here. Wednesday the qassam attacks escalated. Several fell on Sapir College, which is just a couple of minutes from here, killing a student. Many landed in Ashkelon — one on a hospital. The attacks continued Thursday with more injuries. Because the rockets started hitting Ashkelon, the Prime Minister (while eating sushi on a trip to Japan) announced that Hamas is trying his patience.
Below is a journal of the last 36 hours:
Friday, 3:00AM:
Tzeva Adom (Color Red Alert) does not go off, but there is a weird alarm going off — its the alarm that usually goes off after there are several Tzeva Adoms in a row. It wakes us all up, and we don’t know what to do — do we run to the shelter? Maybe it is a mistake. I make a mental note to try and interview someone about the Tzeva Adom system.
Friday, 10:00AM:
I say (out loud) that we are lucky there is no Tzeva Adom this morning. A half an hour later, we are getting ready to leave the house: Tzeva Adom, Tzeva Adom. We run into the shelter. This time, we hear the whistle. Avi always told me, that the scariest moment is when you can hear the whistle, because it means it is landing right near you. After the whistle, a huge boom that rattles the house. We run out to the street, all the neighbors have come out and everybody yells, “Where did it fall?” People are running around looking. We finally realize it has fallen across the street on the back side of our house. Luckily there are no homes there, just an open field.
Friday, 4:30PM:
Right before Shabbat. Avi’s brother and his family stop by to visit. His 8-year-old twin nieces are chasing our cat around our backyard and playing catch with grapefruits they picked from the trees. Aner is filming. All of the sudden, a huge boom. It was a Kassam WITHOUT the Tzeva Adom warning — one of the scariest things possible. Then it starts: Tzeva Adom, Tzeva Adom. We run into the shelter. More explosions. Close.
Friday, 8:00PM:
Shabbat dinner at Avi’s parents. Avi is really depressed and angry. He keeps asking, “Is this a way to live? Why? Why?” He doesn’t usually get this worked up, but something about seeing his nieces exposed to the danger makes him sad. He can’t eat.
Friday, 10:00PM:
We can hear singing and cheering. It’s a huge group of Bnei Akiva scouts, they tell me, I go out with Avi’s nephew, Lidor, another one of my subjects who is in the Sderot Youth Choir. We see six hundred young people from a group called “Lev Ehad (One heart.)” They hold Israeli flags and walk through the streets of Sderot singing, clapping, and cheering, to show solidarity. It’s an amazing sight.
Friday, 10:30PM:
We are driving home. We have the radio tuned to 104fm, where after 9PM there is silence, but the Tzeva Adom warning is broadcast — supposedly a couple of seconds before you can hear the loudspeakers. We stop the car and run up the walkway to the nearest house. We bang on the door. Nobody home. We get close to the wall of the house, just in case. For the first time I am afraid, I can hear my own heart beating. Something about the process of trying to run and not knowing where to go.
Friday, Midnight:
We are sitting in our house drinking coffee with Robbie and Lavi — two of Avi’s friends — film students from Sapir college. Robbie is really mad. They are talking about how upsetting it is that seven years of rockets and the government doesn’t care, but now that rockets hit Askhelon, its suddenly not okay anymore. Robbie says it is because of who live here — Mizrachim (Jews from Arab countries) not Askenazim. Poor people. The government doesn’t care about the people of Sderot — but Askhelon is now the limit. Avi talks about his new song. Its called, “Sushi in Japan.” I presume it is about Olmert, eating his sushi.
Saturday, 2:00AM:
Tzeva adom. This is strange — doesn’t usually happen at this hour. We run to the shelter. Can’t hear a boom. Maybe its too far. I get back in bed and try to sleep. I hear helicopters.
Saturday, 5:00AM:
Tzeva Adom.
Saturday, sometime between 5 and 7AM:
One or two Tzeva Adoms. I don’t remember. I don’t get up, I don’t wake up. I just stay in bed. Screw it all. If they want to bomb me, go ahead.
Saturday, 7:30AM:
Tzeva Adom. We wake up and run to the shelter. I am so tired I can’t even stand up. Get back in bed. I can hear gunfire. Really loud gunfire… like a machine gun. Is is from a tank or a helicopter or something.
Saturday, 9:30AM:
Tzeva Adom. Okay, maybe its time to get up. I hear airplanes — really loud. Must be F-16’s.
Saturday, Noon:
Helicopters. I get online. I can’t help it. What does it say in the news. Thirty-three qassams from yesterday until now. Twenty-six people killed in Gaza, including some civilians. Several IDF soldiers injured.
I look at the press from the West and get very angry. Its mostly about their injuries. Another article about Palestinian protests about our attacks. This is ridiculous. If there were no rockets raining on us the IDF wouldn’t have anything to do there. I don’t like the way we are portrayed. We don’t want this war. They are dragging us in. What can we do? There are rockets raining on us daily. But in the media we look like the aggressors. It feels so unfair to be sitting here and reading that. My entire perspective has changed. I used to think that Israel needed to take care of how it looked to the western world — that we can’t look like monsters. Now I know it doesn’t matter. They will paint us however they want. I just can’t read the news anymore, it makes me too angry. We need to move forward with our lives, protect ourselves. The government has a responsibility to protect its people. The question is, what is the best way to do that?
Saturday, 2pm:
Tzeva Adom. I’m alone in the house, I run to the shelter.
Saturday, 3pm:
Tzeva Adom. I stay at my desk. This is ridiculous.
Saturday, 7pm:
The news. Two Israeli soldiers killed. 45 Palestinians.
As I am writing this, more helicopters. More guns. Very depressed.
Laura Bialis is a filmmaker living in Sderot.
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18 Comments
1. sol:who benefits from rocket attacks against israel? palestinians? NO.
Mar 2, 2008 - 3:26 am 2. SDN:civilians in israel? no
who?
Who benefits? how about the Muslim dictatorships who have used this situation for decades to distract their subjects? Note that this was WAY before Bush arrived on the scene.
As for the media? why does it surprise anyone that they are liars. Israel should ignore them and eliminate this threat the only way that works: kill until the threat is gone. Give up or die, who cares?
Mar 2, 2008 - 6:38 am 3. Chip Gill:Fear not, for people in the West are slowly waking to reality. Even in Europe. And I’ve never been a big fan of Israel.
The IDF should simply drive the inhabitants of Gaza into Egypt, or Jordan, Lebanon, or the Sea.
It is not sane to expect normal people to live under the circumstance of living next to a population of murderous lunatics.
Mar 2, 2008 - 8:32 am 4. Steffie:Thank you for sharing the reality of this horrible situation. While no one wishes for civilian death on either side, no one seems to understand the reasons that Israel is forced to defend herself. It is almost as if Israeli casualties mean nothing, and the lives of Palestinians terrorists are worth more. It is time for Israel to stand up for all citizens, and I wish them much success in defending their people. Please keep us updated Laura, and let your friends know that there are people who care and wish for peace for their nation, but not at the cost of their freedom.
Mar 2, 2008 - 8:58 am 5. Emerson:In pure leftism one side is held to an impossible standard while the other is expected to be as crazed and inhuman as possible. It’s the genocidal hypocrisy called nuance.
Mar 2, 2008 - 9:52 am 6. Mirco:There are many solutions to solve or ease this situation:
Mar 2, 2008 - 10:08 am 7. m:1) Cut the water and power going to Gaza, now. With or without the permission of the government.
2) Start to attack (physically) the journalists that report the news (the propaganda) from Gaza and the West Bank. The good journalists can not work in Gaza and in the West Bank, because they would be attacked by the Palis for telling the truth.
3) Start to organize and attack the Palestinians yourselves, don’t wait years for the IDF. Every time they launch a Kassam, go in the Gaza Strip and kill the Palis. Whoever you find, with no distinction of gender or age, as Kassam do no differ.
3) If the IDF or the police show themselves to arrest you, resist them ans shame them.
I’d hate to tell you how an Arab Dictatorship would tolerate these Rocket attacks (from Hamas-held territory) if it they were in Israel’s position…
In fact, the question of a need to defend ‘their own right’ to exist… wouldn’t exist.
Approximately 600,000 people were displaced; and now 7 million people led by a group of Suicide thugs, want to return?
Perhaps one might firm up a solid One State, improve missile-shield technology (and range)… and bring back a non-hostile count of the Palestinian (originally displaced).
I wish you well.
Mar 2, 2008 - 10:51 am 8. Malinda:Dear Laura
My heart becomes heavy when I think of what you are going through on a daily basis.
Many of our American ancestors proudly fought Hitler’s evil dictatorship responsible for the persecution and killing of Germany’s people, Belgians, English, French, Americans and others.
That was almost 70 years ago—please know that not all Westerner’s believe the bias of some of the Western media against Israel.
Thank you for your bravery in being there and letting Americans and the free world know what you are witnessing and experiencing.
I do wonder where the Palestinians are getting the rockets——–has the source been identified?
Prayers for your safety and for that of others
Mar 2, 2008 - 12:16 pm 9. zolt:Why do you think the palestians use Kassams? I think that is what the Arab countries give to them. They don’t want the Palestinians to destroy Israel , they like this low grade battle, THE Arabs win in the press. They get more money from the USA and Israel. It would be so easy for them to get better .
Mar 2, 2008 - 1:39 pm 10. Glenmore:While the Jews have shown willingness to live with the Muslims, the Muslims are emphatic that they are not willing to live with the Jews. Or let the Jews live. And there are far more Muslims. Israel could kill every Muslim in Gaza and it would only accelerate their own demise. Without support from the US how long could Israel survive? How long will that support last? I am saddened to say I really don’t see any long term solution. Unless a new Joseph Smith can find the Ark of the Covenant buried in Los Angeles and move the whole nation there.
Mar 2, 2008 - 3:35 pm 11. old hat:Israel should stand down for 1 day and announce to the world that unless the firing of rockets cease, they will fully mobilize “ALL” standoff weapons in their possesion less nuclear. They should fully warn all Palestinian residents that are in the area of operations that in the event a rocket is fired they will fire three-fold into that area. If required they will begin a walking barrage that will leave noone untouched.
Mar 2, 2008 - 5:31 pm 12. Coisty:So when the Israelis slaughter a hundred people beyond their own border the Americans call it ‘defensive’. But when the Serbs defend their own territory from American sponsored KLA violence it is called ‘aggression’, even ‘genocide’.
Jews are allowed to defend themselves but if Serbs do the same thing they are terrorists according to the American MSM and, of course, Pajamas Media – as if there’s a difference.
Where is ‘Suleiman’ Schwartz today, anyway? When Serbs fight Muslim terrorists he’s here on the double to condemn them for their anti-Muslim bigotry. What say you Suleiman about Israel’s attacks on Muslims in Gaza?
Mar 2, 2008 - 6:15 pm 13. Patrick Henry:Dear Ms. Bialis,
I wish there were more posts such as this one. We almost never read reports from those civilians, and they are overwhelmingly civilians, who endure these incessant, amoral bombings. From a desire to do what little I can in support of Israel, I’ve written and posted a song, “Stand With Israel,” at MySpace. If it would be of any value to you or the musicians with whom you work, please use it, royalty-free. My sincere best wishes to you.
Mar 2, 2008 - 11:25 pm 14. John Dunshee:I think Israel should take a cue from the Romans. Gaza should become the new Carthage.
Mar 3, 2008 - 12:42 am 15. Baks:why don’t you try living on the other side, and see what they are suffering? and compare!
Israel does not need an excuse to attack palestinians. rocket or no these attacks and killings have been there for 60 years.
You have to think of the reasons, why are hamas shooting rockets?
Israel and USA Cliams to be the mother of democracy in the world, but when there was elections in Palestine, and Hamas won, both of them refused it and started embargo. Democracy in thier eyes means getting someone they want not the people want. The same is with lebanon.
here are some world record set by the people of Gaza
what would you do if somesone takes over your house and throw you out.???!! if someone kills you son, father, duaghter..etc.
Each family in Gaza has lost someone they love.. they are left with no hope.
-Oldest prisoner in the world 31 years
-More than 25 years > 10
-More than 20 years >73
-More than 15 years >233 prisoners
- youngest rpisoner in the world is a 13 years boy.
Biggest prison (Gaza) with the wall being built, it is twice of hiegh of berlin wall, and it is 750 KM surrounding Gaza.
7 ministers and 40 senotors are behind jail.
total people arrested and jailed throw years are 700,000. giving that mostof them are adult people give us a ratio of 42% of population.
-Most bullets in a body, 30 bullets in a 13 year school girl.
in 2006, 359 school or education related facilities were closed. 43 of them became military base for israel.
858 school boys were killed, 4792 were injuired.
Only in 2006:
13,572,896 trees were pulled down,
784 farm warehouse were destroyed.
14829 sheeps were killed
12151 cows killed
16549 bee cell
Each palestinian can use only 50QM of water yearly, israelis use 2400
763 fixed road blocks , and 5001 movable ones.
you Judge?!!
Mar 3, 2008 - 1:48 am 16. inconsequential:Why don’t their Muslim oil-wealthy neighbors ever offer humanitarian aid?
Why the HELL would anyone ask Israel to pay those who openly swear and act to destroy them?
Those “poor” Palestinians have some very wealthy Palestinian neighbors:
http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/lgf-showcomment.php?n=465&c=4775046
…
“The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a
Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle
against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality
today there is no difference between Jordanians,
Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and
tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of
a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand
that we posit the existence of a distinct ‘Palestinian
people’ to oppose Zionism.”
- PLO executive committee member Zahir Muhsein, in a 1977
interview with the Dutch newspaper Trouw
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/11/20/the-annapolis-folly-continued/#comment-176764
Mar 3, 2008 - 6:57 am 17. mf:here is further proof that the holocaust could happen today.
Mar 3, 2008 - 5:28 pm 18. David:there was no outcry for the last 3 years as rockets fell murdering isreali children and civilians because jewish life is not valuable on the world political stage.
the only outrage was heard when the isreali govt was finally forced to attempt to protect it’s citizens from this savage daily terror.
when you saw the coverage of the withdrawal from gaza you understood that nobody in the western media knew what this meant. despite the thousands of residents who were forced to leave generational homes and houses of worship and hundreds of working farms, the media portrayed any jews living in the area as a “settler”. still resigned as an outsider in a non-jewish world despite their contributions and legacies.
Laura,
you have our support & our prayers here in the Bluegrass.
The people of Gaza have a clear choice to make. Choose life or choose death.
With life comes the opportunity to create the Dubai of the Mediterranean. An amazing location for tourists, bankers & an import-export zone. They would have the financial backing & goodwill of the entire world.
Choosing death, from their kids TV shows to teenage suicide bombers to daily rocket attacks on Israel will only reap a harvest of death & destruction forever.
The tragedy is that they continually choose death. Act the perpetual victim & then blame the evil zionists for all of their problems.
Many in the west are blind but many of us also see the truth.
Blessings
Mar 6, 2008 - 11:47 amDavid