A new front in Lebanon?

January 8, 2009 - 1:38 PM by Nicky

I must admit, when I went to buy milk this morning and saw the TV in our tiny village makolet (corner shop), tuned to the news and a picture of the Lebanon and Israeli border, I felt a deep sense of foreboding.

I think it’s what we’ve all been frightened of. That the battle in the south, will lead to a new front in the north. As we are all aware, those four or five Katuysha missiles fired at Nahariya this morning, wounding two people, could be a one-off protest, or they could be the opening salvo of a much worse conflict.

A katyusha attack on Israel.

A katyusha attack on Israel.


I’m one of those people living in the center of the country who have managed to be untouched by either the last Lebanon war, when missiles rained down on the north, or the Gaza crisis, when missiles rain down on the south. It doesn’t mean that it isn’t hard, however.

This morning I felt it acutely – a kind of moral and emotional exhaustion at the thought of what has been, and what is still to come – with Hizbullah, if not now (with elections in Lebanon in May), then later; and with Iran, looming.

I’m not alone. This morning Larry Rich, the director of development and PR at Emek Medical Center (EMC) in Afula, sent out one of his periodic postings. Every month or so, Rich sends out a report from his hospital, and I always read them with interest. Sometimes it’s about something he overhead, or witnessed at the hospital, often its heart-warming tales about Israeli Arabs and Jews who find that in the face of illness and sometimes death, they share an awful lot more in common than they thought.
This morning, Rich – like me – was in somber mood.

“Two hours ago four Katyusha missiles slammed into the northern Galilee, having been fired from southern Lebanon. It seems that the Iranian forces of darkness are eager to continue their relentless provocation of little Israel. Nobody knows, as these words are being written, just how far this latest act of unprovoked aggression will escalate.”

He goes on to report that EMC is now on high alert.

“An urgent meeting of our emergency preparedness staff led by CEO Dr. Orna Blondheim (still grieving from the tragic death of her nephew, Dagan Vertman, cut down in Gaza) took place as the debris in the Galilee was being cleared. Having unfortunate knowledge stemming from previous wars, EMC is preparing for the worst while hoping that sanity will prevail.
We have opened our bomb shelters and already designated a large shelter adjacent to several empty rooms that will be used (should we need it) by the children of our staff while they are working.

The rooms will be for games & activities while in the event of a missile assault, the children will be only steps away from a large bomb shelter. Our emergency medical supply stores are fully stocked and ready. Our physicians and nurses carry on with their healing, hoping that they will not be, once again, launched into harm’s way.

Adrenalin is rushing, anxiety sets in and we resign ourselves to an indefinite fate.”

A few days ago, the husband of a friend of mine volunteered for the reserves. He’s in his ’40s, and the father of four children. He was sent to the Lebanon border, where troops have been on alert since the start of the conflict with Gaza. “At least he’s miles from the fighting,” she told me then. I saw her briefly this morning. She looked worried.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , • Category: Life, Politics, War, coexistence 

Comments

3 Comments on A new front in Lebanon?

  1. Layneh on Thu, Jan 8th 2009 11:32 PM

    2. I have heard to said that the attacks by Hamas is to divert the worlds eyes from the Iranian Nuclear program, and that if its starts to calm down, and a ceasefire is signed, that Hezbollah will attack, again to prevent the world from focusing back on Iran. What are your thoughts on this?

  2. Michael on Sat, Jan 10th 2009 7:16 PM

    3. Layneh,

    As experienced citizens of Israel you well know of the many devices that terrorists use to spread destruction and fear within the people of your country.
    These are not G-d loving people. Of course there are plans to divert attention from one source and create a diversion, this is nothing new. The United States and other countries have used tactics like this however to murder unarmed civilians is not the will of G-d. When children become disobedient and are handed over to their enemies which has happened in the past, they used the sword or harshly rebuked them. Terror tactics and inhumane torture is never the will of G-d. There are war crime tribunals and laws to follow even during times of incredible stress and war. Terrorist are lawless for the most part and do not use conventional wisdom or war tactics, that makes them a very dangerous adversary to deal with. That is why G-d appoints individuals and wise counsel to rid the world of wickedness and hopefully decrease sin against humans.
    There are officials in government that are trained to watch over the people and yet even higher officials over them. You need not worry, there is nothing hidden from the Holy One of Israel, nothing hidden from His eyes. There is Justice for His people. May G-d’s love and protection be with you.

    Michael

  3. Nicky on Sun, Jan 11th 2009 11:31 AM

    4. As a quick update to this story – looks like Thursday’s katyusha missiles were just a one-off attack, and we can relax a little, in the knowledge that this time – at least – there won’t be an all-out confrontation on the northern border as well.

    My friend’s husband ended up coming home for the weekend. We saw him yesterday. He’s off up to the north again today, but hopefully will remain far from the fighting.

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