These past two weeks were incredibly difficult for the entire state of Israel. I am going to not get into specifics since some of the information I heard should not be shared over the internet or out loud. Israel got into a semi- war with Hamas. A terrorist organization in Gaza. Every day for more then a week rockets and bombs went off everywhere from the south of Israel to even Tel - Aviv and J-town. A bus was hit, and also many houses reduced to rubble. There is a technology known as an iron cap. It intercepts rockets as they rain down on Israel. It doesn't look like a cap at all but it saved many lives of both civilians and soldiers. These past two weeks I lived in constant tension. While my friends in America went on with their lives - shopping , tweeting , working, complaining about drama that really in the scheme of things doesn't matter. Israel constantly heard sirens, my friends were preparing to inch towards the boarders and it felt like the whole country held it's breath.
Looking back it is a weird type of phenominon that I underwent. I used to really care about shopping and worked in Tiffany's, was worried about my weekend plans and was very self centered. I am not saying that all Americans are like this at all. So do not take what I am writing out of contex. It is just hard to hear that while my world was turned upside down, I moved from base to base training reserves and different soldiers, my friends in the states still had the same worries and were so out of touch with the realities of the world. I can't blame them. They didn't live this . I wanted to scream "wake the f*** up!" to articles on line written by ivy leagued americans that declared Israel as an imperalistic state and scorened it for protecting itself. Israel is in no way perfect. That is not what I am saying or arguing. There are many palestinians that had to move their lives, were effected and were hurt not only this time but over the past 65 years of conflict. These are good people. There are the extremists that powered by terror are educated that they will receive their rightful place if they act according to the plan.
So before you point your fingers. I want you to stop . time yourself. you have 15 seconds to run to the nearest bomb shelter. wait ? you don't have one? is that because you are lucky enough to live in a country that not only does not undergo this type of conflict but also when under attack strikes back with massive force and is not critisized for it?
I sound bitter. Maybe I am . Maybe each day as people were injured on both sides I thought of how uneducated and unaware I was of this conflict and how even though I considered myself Israeli the last time I underwent this was as a baby.
It didn't effect me. Now that my best friends are combat soldiers and are the ones protecting this land, the realities come to light.
I am not pointing fingers at anyone nor am I trying to cause trouble but I just wanted it to be stated that this was my wakeup call. To be an Israeli is more then just Hummas and Pita and nice beaches and Tel Aviv clubs. It means sleeping in tents in cold nights, training massive amounts of soldiers and realizing that the world does not revolve around you. I have never been prouder to be an Israeli and will or have regreted my move and enlistment. I just want you to "wake the f*** up"
Going to jog,
Michali
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