Where were you when the siren went off? That's a question you get asked often at the moment if you've been in Israel recently.
Where was I the first time I experienced the siren?
I was talking to my parents on skype with my 1 and a half year old nephew playing beside me. I was babysitting him. My brother-in-law had prepared a bag for my nephew just in case the alarm went off. I was oblivious. The alarm wouldn't go off in the center of Israel right? I didn't realise how wrong I was. Around 16.30 I heard a noise from outside. I told my mum to hang on a second so I could open the window and listen out for the siren. I've been to Israel many times but I haven't actually experienced it before so I didn't know how loud it would be. I heard a distant siren and was relieved, I didn't have to disturb my little nephew but then it became louder. The siren wasn't avoidable anymore. It was like when your alarm clock goes off right in your ear, you want to pretend it isn't but in the end there is nothing you can do. So what did I do? I lifted up my nephew who couldn't understand what was going on and went down to the bomb shelter. In one way I was lucky, I only had one child to be responsible for but imagine a family with more kids? Or maybe someone who is taking care of an old relative that they can't carry? But that's where I was when the siren went off, responsible for my and my nephews life.
You might think that this made me agree with Israel. This might make you think I support the killing of innocent people because it's our way of defending ourselves. But let me tell you, it's all a part of a big dilemma within me. I support Israel's right to defend itself but I also support Palestinian's right to have their own country. This makes it problematic because of the situation on Gaza because I don't support Hamas. I mean, how could anyone support humans that have the mission to kill other people purely for the reason that they are Jewish?
People tend to forget that just because someone chooses to support one side it doesn't mean that you've chosen to hate the other side, you simply have more reason to support the other side. My reason for supporting Israel is because that's where I have friends and family, that's where I've spent my holidays and that's the place I want to spend my life. That doesn't mean I don't believe in a Palestinian state or that I agree with Israel killing innocent people and believe me, IDF doesn't either. In war there are unfortunately victims. In this war they consist of civilians, soldiers and terrorists. If you know me you will know that it brings tears to my eyes when I see anyone innocent being killed, it doesn't matter if it is a Palestinian or an Israeli. They have the same value to me, the only difference is that when an Israeli is being killed I know deep inside that the person could have been me.
War doesn't solve any problems, I know that, but in this case it can prevent the Israeli civilians from constantly having 15 seconds to run for their lives. It might seem silly to you but if you stopped and thought of what you can do in 15 seconds, you realise it's not much. Not even the fastest man on earth can run 200 meters in 15 seconds, maybe that can put it into perspective for you.
The situation in Israel and Gaza at the moment won't make me support Israel less. Regardless how many civilians that are being killed I will still believe in Israel's right to defend themselves. That doesn't mean I won't cry when I hear about a Palestinian child being in hospital. But I will cry more when I hear about the soldier Eitan Barak, being murdered because he sacrificed his life for me. For you that might mean I'm taking a side and to be honest, I probably am. I'm taking the side of the people that are defending me. I'm taking the side of the people that are dying for me. Nothing will take away that. I am proud to say that I am a jew that believes in our Jewish state. It doesn't matter if we're under rockets or not. That pride will never disappear even if it means me having 15 seconds to run for my life when the siren goes off.
So you might ask me where I was when the siren went off?
It doesn't matter that I've been on the motorway or in my sister's flat. The answer is simple, I was in the country where I should have the right to feel safe and that is what IDF is doing, keeping us safe and for that I am eternally grateful.
Where was I the first time I experienced the siren?
I was talking to my parents on skype with my 1 and a half year old nephew playing beside me. I was babysitting him. My brother-in-law had prepared a bag for my nephew just in case the alarm went off. I was oblivious. The alarm wouldn't go off in the center of Israel right? I didn't realise how wrong I was. Around 16.30 I heard a noise from outside. I told my mum to hang on a second so I could open the window and listen out for the siren. I've been to Israel many times but I haven't actually experienced it before so I didn't know how loud it would be. I heard a distant siren and was relieved, I didn't have to disturb my little nephew but then it became louder. The siren wasn't avoidable anymore. It was like when your alarm clock goes off right in your ear, you want to pretend it isn't but in the end there is nothing you can do. So what did I do? I lifted up my nephew who couldn't understand what was going on and went down to the bomb shelter. In one way I was lucky, I only had one child to be responsible for but imagine a family with more kids? Or maybe someone who is taking care of an old relative that they can't carry? But that's where I was when the siren went off, responsible for my and my nephews life.
You might think that this made me agree with Israel. This might make you think I support the killing of innocent people because it's our way of defending ourselves. But let me tell you, it's all a part of a big dilemma within me. I support Israel's right to defend itself but I also support Palestinian's right to have their own country. This makes it problematic because of the situation on Gaza because I don't support Hamas. I mean, how could anyone support humans that have the mission to kill other people purely for the reason that they are Jewish?
People tend to forget that just because someone chooses to support one side it doesn't mean that you've chosen to hate the other side, you simply have more reason to support the other side. My reason for supporting Israel is because that's where I have friends and family, that's where I've spent my holidays and that's the place I want to spend my life. That doesn't mean I don't believe in a Palestinian state or that I agree with Israel killing innocent people and believe me, IDF doesn't either. In war there are unfortunately victims. In this war they consist of civilians, soldiers and terrorists. If you know me you will know that it brings tears to my eyes when I see anyone innocent being killed, it doesn't matter if it is a Palestinian or an Israeli. They have the same value to me, the only difference is that when an Israeli is being killed I know deep inside that the person could have been me.
War doesn't solve any problems, I know that, but in this case it can prevent the Israeli civilians from constantly having 15 seconds to run for their lives. It might seem silly to you but if you stopped and thought of what you can do in 15 seconds, you realise it's not much. Not even the fastest man on earth can run 200 meters in 15 seconds, maybe that can put it into perspective for you.
The situation in Israel and Gaza at the moment won't make me support Israel less. Regardless how many civilians that are being killed I will still believe in Israel's right to defend themselves. That doesn't mean I won't cry when I hear about a Palestinian child being in hospital. But I will cry more when I hear about the soldier Eitan Barak, being murdered because he sacrificed his life for me. For you that might mean I'm taking a side and to be honest, I probably am. I'm taking the side of the people that are defending me. I'm taking the side of the people that are dying for me. Nothing will take away that. I am proud to say that I am a jew that believes in our Jewish state. It doesn't matter if we're under rockets or not. That pride will never disappear even if it means me having 15 seconds to run for my life when the siren goes off.
So you might ask me where I was when the siren went off?
It doesn't matter that I've been on the motorway or in my sister's flat. The answer is simple, I was in the country where I should have the right to feel safe and that is what IDF is doing, keeping us safe and for that I am eternally grateful.
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