The Gaza Operation And Me

This is a very last minute post.  I just wanted to throw a note out there that I am OK. I'm not in the front lines or anything like that, so there really isn't any connection at this point between what you read in the news and my safety.  I'm still in basic training, so there's no sending me off to war for another half a year.

In case your head was underneath a rock all this week, Hamas has started the post-ceasefire period off with a bang, literally.  Israel's half-year ceasefire with the terrorist organization just expired, and right away Hamas began launching rockets into Israel.  They spent the entire period of calm stocking up on rockets, and now they can use them freely.

Israel was just hanging out, and as expected Hamas started an offensive.  But anyway, I don't want to talk politics right now.  I want to give an explanation, as far as I learned from soldiers who were in basic training during the Second Lebanon War in 2006, what would happen to me if a war were to break out.  As in, what would I be doing, where would I be, etc.

During Michve Alon some of my commanders had the Lebanon War pin, even though I knew they began basic in August of 2006.  The war ended in August.  They told me that in time of war, the basic training programs go on freeze while the commanders and various people around the training bases head off to their combat units.  At the same time, full soldiers who were doing guard duty around the country get repositioned to fight in the conflict.

So, the guys in basic take the guard duty spots that were vacated.  Like everyone else I don't know what's going to happen in this conflict with Hamas.  Our defense minister, Ehud Barak, hasn't said whether or not a ground invasion into Gaza is going to follow the aerial strikes on the Hamas compounds.  I just don't know what's going to happen.

My Gd, what a strange feeling.  I return to base tomorrow morning, and I can't even begin to imagine what kind of discussions and briefings we're going to receive.  What are they going to tell us?  Is it going to be really serious on base?  Is the training going to change in some way, at least in a subtle, intangible nature?  Will there be laughter?  Will anyone smile?

How do I feel?  All Shabbat I concentrated especially hard during the supplications for peace in the prayers.  I said "shalom" with extra intent and genuineness.  What's strange about that is that I am shomer Shabbat, which means I don't watch television or read the news or anything during Friday night to Saturday night.  I had no idea that Saturday the 27th, today, was the deadliest day in Gaza in the past 20 years.

How do I feel?  Nervous and very upset that we have to deal with this all over again. Like all Israelis, I just want peace and quiet.

Please read this prayer for the well-being of Israel's soldiers:   Click Here