Israel Speaks
Since 2011 Palestinian organizations have fired on Israel
over 10 000 rockets and mortar shells from the Gaza Strip.
At first the rockets were small and ineffective.
In recent years they have become much more effective and accurate.
After the operation Cast Lead in 2009 the Palestinians
have fired mostly small rockets and mortar shells
to the Israeli communities close to the border.
Every few months IDF targets terror organization leaders.
The attack triggers a new round of escalation,
during which dozens of rockets are being fired
to the southern communities of Israel.
In 2011 IDF introduced a unique defence system, the Iron Dome.
It intercepts short-range rockets fired towards population centers.
In March 2011 the terror organizations began a massive firing
to the southern communities of Israel.
It blew up.
What is it?
The Iron Dome defence system proved its efficiency
when it intercepted 56 rockets out of 73 rockets
that were threatening the communities.
General Doron Gavish is Israel's Aerial Defence commander.
In spite of the Iron Dome the inhabitans of the South
had to rush into shelters dozens of times during the firing.
Colonel Gili Shenhar is the Home Front Command spokesman.
The situation of the southern population is usually adressed
when the rockets are threatening the largest cities.
However, thousands of residents in the south
have been suffering from the rocket fire
almost daily for 11 years.
Yanina Barnea lives in the kibbutz Nahal Oz,
700 meters from the border of the Gaza Strip.
Kibbutz Nahal Oz was founded in the early 1950's
near the border of Gaza.
It was established there on purpose,
as a part of the settlement of the Negev.
Today there are about 350 residents.
The main livelihood is agriculture,
we have fields, an excellent barn and henhouses.
This is an excellent kibbutz.
For the last 11 years
we have been living under the threat of the missiles.
Because of the closeness to the Strip
we are exposed both to mortar shells
and Qassam rockets.
Until about two years ago
there were no alarms when mortar shells were fired.
It just happened.
Today thanks to the advanced technology
there are alarms before about 80% of the mortar shells.
When Qassam rockets are fired we get the red color alarm.
It can happen at any moment.
Unfortunately, in the area of the kibbutz have fallen
a great number of missiles.
But someone is protecting us from above,
and until now there have been no direct hits on houses.
It has happened in some other kibbutzim.
But in our kibbutz area there have been dozens of hits.
Nahal Oz is one of the few dozens of settlements,
that are situated right next to the Gaza Strip.
Alon Shuster is the head of Sha'ar Hanegev regional council.
There are eleven settlements like these in his area.
There have been rockets for 11 years.
At first mortar shells were fired to Nahal Oz,
and later to Sderot and other settlements.
Later, mortar shells turned into rockets,
and the rockets are growing larger in size.
Soldiers and agriculture workers who work close to the border,
are in great danger.
There are tunnels from Gaza to our area,
but luckily we are able to demolish them now
to prevent terrorists from threatening us via the tunnels.
These kinds of threats we are facing.
Paradoxically this last round of rockets,
when 25 mortar shells and rockets were fired to our reagional council,
we have had dozens, maybe hundreds of days like these
during the last 11 years.
Only one rocket landed inside a kibbutz.
The alarms work well.
There are also false alarms that scare people.
But the alarm system is saving lives,
and also the exemplary behaviour of the residents.
The emergency teams were working in all the settlements.
We operated our information center
and the psychological helplines.
The education system operated fully,
kindergartens and schools.
Even the kindergartens farthest away were operating,
because there are shelters.
We are doing our best to maintain the normal life,
in accordance to the instructions of the Home Command.
We are proud of our success, but with humility,
because the challenges might get harder in the future.
The Iron Dome defence system does not protect
the residents of the settlements around Gaza.
It is not relevant to us.
Though Iron Dome was developed to defend our area,
it is used for the bigger population centers.
We still rely only on the alarms.
The Israeli government told us that the Iron Dome
would defend our population,
but it turned out it was so successful,
and the rocket fire expanded, so they decided to move
the Iron Dome batteries to defend the cities
and strategical areas.
The defence of all villages around Gaza
would require billions of shekels.
For 11 years we have lived here in constant alertness.
We are constantly alert, even if we are not aware of it.
You listen and look around all the time.
Even if the sun shines and everything looks good,
you are always awake, alert and tense.
For example in the last round we did not go out with the children.
People stayed in their homes and did not come together.
Sometimes the army commands us to stay close to shelters.
Unlike in Beersheba, our alarms sound 10-20 seconds before the hit.
It happens immediately,
sometimes mortar shells hit simultaneously with the alarm.
It makes you think every step, especially in the afternoon
when you are with the kids.
Also at work.
In every round of firing you have to leave your work
and go to shelter and back, and so on.
In February 2012 the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon
visited Sha'ar Hanegev regional council
and met some of the residents.
After the visit the leaders of the council sent him a letter
to remind him about the incident in 2011,
when an Israeli schoolbus carrying children was attacked.
He was called to condemn the constant firing on civilians.
The letter was addressed to the secretary general
whom we had the honour to meet personally.
He is a great person and he expressed great sympathy
to our children who were in the bus.
It was very important for us to make him aware of the fact,
that here civilians are being attacked.
We want to live in peace and we have not lost our hope,
but if we are constantly being bombed from Gaza,
it is a very bad thing.
We have demanded him to recognize that this firing
is not symmetrical, the IDF will not fire at the Palestinians,
if they won't try to hurt us.
If they do so, we have the right to defend ourselves.
I am also still serving in the reserve, and I see it as my duty.
- Do you have any hopes about the UN?
- Actually no, the only hope of stopping the violence
would be to cut the Iranian supply of resources,
ammunition and ideology to the Gaza Strip.
In spite of the continuous threat
the residents of the villages around Gaza want to stay.
The most amazing thing is that in this atmosphere
of 11 years of terror we keep growing.
I live in a kibbutz that doubled its number of residents
during those years.
They are people who grew up here,
and also young people are coming from elsewhere.
Our schools are getting larger.
We see a lot of blessing in what we are doing.
People are staying here not because they are doing a favor
or for some great ideological reasons,
but because they like this place.
A friend of mine said that we live in a paradise 99,99% of the time.
Once in a while we go through a little hell.
I can count on the fingers of one hand
the families that left because of the security situation.
We have developed ways to handle the situation,
in the personal level and also in the communal level.
Fortunately the kibbutz has a strong emphasis on the community,
which makes it easier for the individual.
We know how to look and see, who needs help.
You are not alone, this is a collective experience.
This helps the people to cope with the situation.
There is a balance between the fact that we got used to this
and developed ways to deal with this,
and the fact that this is an impossible reality
and there is no reason why people should live like this.
It is very hard for example to bring people here.
We are doing it, but it's very challenging.
We are used to this, but people from outside
might think we are crazy.
It is a fine balance.
Most of the people stay here, we know how to handle this.
But on the other hand all we want is quiet,
just tell us that it's over.
In the southern Israel, under the threat of the rockets
live also many messianic Jews, Jews that believe in Jesus.
Avital Haver and her daughter Shay
live in Ashdod on the Mediterranean coast.
Ashdod is the sixth largest city with 200 000 inhabitants.
This is a city with many different people from many countries
from Morocco, India, many Russians.
This city has everything.
The residents are really nice and it's a pleasant place to live in.
In the last round of fire, over 20 rockets were fired on the city.
We used to be far from the problem, it was in Sderot and Netivot.
But since the Cast Lead operation
we understood that we are also the target.
And again this week about 25 missiles were fired at us.
It means at least six alarms every day.
It's really extreme.
You hear a siren every hour, you don't know what will happen.
In our house there is no shelter,
so we feel like in a Russian roulette.
There is great tension and people are afraid.
Most of the rockets to Ashdod were intercepted by the Iron Dome,
but one rocket exploded just 50 meters
from the home of Avital and Shay.
I was out in our street with my daughter
and the missile landed 40 meters from the place we were standing.
There was a huge blast and people got scared and ran.
We understood that the Iron Dome was not able to hit this one.
We saw the outcome in the street, shops and cars.
Some people were taken to hospital because of anxiety.
Because I was outside I saw how people reacted.
When the alarm souded they left the car and ran to shelter.
They were very anxious.
As a believer Avital relates to the security threat differently
from the other residents in the area.
During the Gulf war in 1991 I was not a believer.
I was in panic.
But in the Cast Lead I was already a believer,
and I felt in my heart peace, that cannot be explained.
It is peace from God, people cannot understand it.
They ask me: "How are you so relaxed?"
This is faith, God puts peace in my heart.
It is by grace and not by my own power.
Also during this round I was very peaceful.
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:1-2
Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear
though war break out against me, even then I will be. Psalm 27:3
You are always with me.
Only in You there is victory.
I need you, Lord.
I trust in You,
even if it looks like there is no tomorrow.
At times I did not get up when the alarm went on,
because I don't have strength to get up every time.
But when the missile hit my street
I realized that it's close and real.
But there is not much to do.
I go out to the staircase, wait for the blast,
and then go on normal life.
God is with me all the time
and I have the feeling that He is guarding.
But people who don't believe have no one to rely on.
I trust in You,
even if it looks like there is no tomorrow.
Singing and Shay's music gives strength to the family
when the times are hard.
Two years ago I started playing the guitar
and I have been writing songs for more than three years.
I have a lot of them, songs praising God
and songs about life.
Between the alarms she is writing new songs and praising God.
Songs about the situation, they gives her strength.
I am painting, so we keep our normal life.
Recently I have talked to many people on the internet.
We share the Word of God.
Jeremiah 30 and Ezekiel 36, these are the chapters
that I have been reading lately.
Those chapters give strength and witness even to total atheists.
- What do you suggests that people who watch us should do?
- To pray. I have a prayer group in facebook.
People from the whole world, from Japan, Austria, USA.
We all pray together, even everyone is in a different place.
Spiritual support is the most important thing.
Rising to the next phase, to the phase of victory.
Rising to the next phase of signs and wonders.
Use us as instruments.
What a grace You have.
My weakness is perfect in Your might.
Suomennos: Hannele Tainio