Monday, September 03, 2007
Rocket Central
Back to school has a completely different meaning in the Israeli town of Sderot. It doesn’t just mean new classes and teachers. It means being escorted to school by soldiers and learning how to duck for cover before a rocket slams into school grounds.
Since school opened here on Sunday, about a dozen rockets have hit Sderot. This morning a Qassam rocket narrowly missed a kindergarten and preschool by just a few meters. We visited the site shortly after the attack. The rocket hit a group of eucalyptus trees next to the school. There was still a slight smoky smell in the air. The school’s fortified walls were colored pretty shades of pastel but there were no children inside. Some of the windows were blown out. We met Meir Ben Zikri at the site. His son was just outside the school when the rocket hit. The little boy was not harmed, but Ben Zikri says he is now too scared to go back. “He’s at home shaking like this.” Ben Zikri said hugging himself tightly and rocking back and forth. Ben Zikri’s house was already hit by Qassam rockets 6 months before. They are now living in a temporary home provided by the government as they wait for the renovations to finish. “It’s not me, I worry about,” he said, “It’s the kids. I’ll be fine but they are traumatized.” Ben Zikri kept fidgeting with a blackened chunk of metal. A piece of the Qassam rocket he said he picked up inside the schoolyard. Luckily, none of the students were hit by debris. But Ben Zikri says it was too close a call. So, why not move out of the range of the rockets, we asked him. “I’m no hero.” He responded, “But if I leave, than this guy leaves and that guy leaves and soon the whole town is gone and the terrorists have won. I’m not doing that.” As he talked, he would run his fingers over the metal or rub it across his chin thoughtfully. Sometimes, he would catch what he was doing and stop suddenly, balling the metal into his fist angrily. But the whole time he talked to us, he never let go of it once. -- From Atika Shubert, CNN International Correspondent, in Sderot. 14 Comments
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Well, IMHO u r just mentioning at most a quarter of the whole story taking place there in palestine!!! those palestinian "terrorists", u r talking about, r doing justified actions in response 2 their families being killed by zionists, their homes being destroyed, not finding basic human necessities coz of the zionists besieging their lands, & so on...
U r clearly biased 2 the zionists, & if u were truly veracious correspondents, I think u would've included at least a paragraph 4 the palestinians' point of view on their sufferings...I hope u r not even too biased 2 show this comment!!!
Why is this only a blog entry????
Should this not be shown more openly broadcasted to the public????? The fact that Hezbolah is continuting to target civilians is a significant breach of the cease fire agreement.
You know Atika..this is the style of writing that nurtures reader's empathy for one party, (the victimized Israeli's), while provoking hatred for the other, (Euhg..those dreadful uncivil A-r-a-a-b-s!). Ignoring raw facts leading to firing the Qassam rockets (hello??...60 years of Israeli's inhumane, violent, heartless, vicious, atrocious, brutal, malicious occupation of the Palestinian people)..you are only adding fuel to the fire.
I am not a journalist nor a writer, (and have no intention of being one), but if I were to be one, I would be bending backwards writing, exposing the REASONS behind the Palestinians rebelliousness or medieval way of defiance's if you will...Research/report the WHY instead of where the rockets are landing...The average "Joe" here in American suffers from a short memory span. As a reporter, living in that part of the world, it is your duty to "spoon feed them", communicate (over and over again) about the factual historical events, or at least explain what makes a group of people "tick" behave in such a compulsive manner...Readers need to perceive reality beyond their own narrow scope of vision. You have the tools, use them...Use them, to foster a better long-term understanding, instead of the usual.. neih..neih..neih.. look what they did again.
nashnushi, study the facts:
When Egypt occupied the Gaza strip and oppressed the inhabitants, you did not dare to speak out. When Jordan occupied the West Bank and brutally dealt with any opposition, you were quiet. When Israel left evey inch of the Gaza strip and has to suffer daily rocket and mortar atatcks deliberately aimed at school children, you complain against Isarel. The same Isarel that supplies fueland food to those who attack her. Strange complaints you have!!!
Israel is merely a pawn in this game. The muslim world needs someone to point the finger at and declare the enemy. Israel could pack up and leave. You know what would happen then? The Palistinian factions would be at a loss of who to fight with, as has been proven when Israel takes a back seat. A civil war would break out, again and they will kill each other. Needing someone to blame rather than themselves Israel would again be the bad guy for pulling out and causing their current problems. They are a waring peoples and will never tolerate peace, it is just not in their nature.
Well, mr. anonymous, it's obvious that U r the 1 who's not studying the facts...
Egypt & Jordan occupied Palestine in 1967 to protect it from the zionists occupation, which has brutally added palestinian lands 2 its new state, in the war of 1967...& as expected, when egypt & jordan left them, the zionists occupied these lands as well... & ur saying that israel has left gazza, well, this has made nothing better...as the zionists r besieging gazza, & surrounding it from all sides, so as 2 prohibit any necessary supplies 4 a decent living from reaching them...not that only, but it also makes daily brutal attacks on the plestinians, wether in gazza or the western bank, killing much more palestinian kids, than the zionist kids u r talking about... but I don't blame u on ur opinions, as I know that u r only depending in ur info on the american news which is totally biased...so I recommend that u inlclude other sources of info, 2 get 2 know the other side of view!!!
Atika:
I believe I understand Meir Ben Zikri's decision to stay in Sderot. It is his home; but it also a battlefield. Of course, he doesn't want the terrorist to win, but at the cost of his child's life seems to go too far. Zikri says his kids are traumatized. Could his son be educated at another school where the threat of bombs dropping on his school is less possible? Removing family members away from bombings is not a tough decision. I feel protecting a child's life at any costs is the most loving thing a man could do for his child, not playing Russian roulette with his future.
Thankyou Atika for your continued reporting from Sderot and your understanding of the suffering of the people who live there.
nasnushi
Egypt and Jordan occupied Palestine in 1967 to protect it from Zionist occupation? I see, so there was a Palestinian state in 1967 that was occupied by Jordan and Egypt. Strange claim?!!? And that Isarel left Gaza has made nothing better. You are correct, it is Hamas who throws people from the roofs of 15 stories buildings just because they refuse to bend to their dictates. And take a look at the map. Egypt has a long border with Gaza, so it is not the Israelis who surround Gaza from all sides, as you try to convey to people who have no idea. You also forgot to mention that Israel supplies fuel and 2/3 of all electricity, as well as food to Gaza, despite the daily rocket attacks from Gaza. You also forgot to mention Black September, who tried to overthrow King Hussein and what King Hussein, who "protected the Palestinians from the Zionists by occupying trhe West Bank" did to the Palestinians in return. But it is quite clear that you have a selective memory when it comes to history.
nashnushi,
How hillarious: Egypt and Jordan occupied Palestine in 1967 to protect it from Zionist occupation? What Palestine? The well known State of Palestine? And then, in order to protect them, they oppressed the Palestinians brutally? Daily attacks on the Palestinians? You know quite well that Israel is daily providing food and fuel to Gaza, supplies 2/3 of the electricity in Gaza. And what do the Palestinians give in return? Kassam rockets on schools, kindergardens, private homes. Mortars at the very bordercrossings where Gaza gets the food supplies. These are the facts, you babble propaganda!
egypt & jordan didn't occupy palestine or oppress its people...what was happening is that suddenly israel in 1967, began 2 brutally add huge palestinian lands 2 its state, & palestinians didn`t have enough power 2 defend itself, so all the arab states gathered 2 try & defend palestine, & stop the israelis, as these r arab lands, not israeli...
hamas doesn't kill anybody but those who betray the palestinian cause of returning back their state, & work 4 the israelis against palestine!!! & ur saying that egypt is the one bordering plaestine...well i really laughed at that, coz geographically of course it does, but in reality, when egypt & israel made the peace agreement, it stated that this area between egypt & palestine, should be void of any egyptian or israeli soldiers, but very few...of course our egyptian governmnet stupidly abided by this, altho it's clearly dangerous 2 our national security...& the israelis as usual, didn't abide by this...& 4 that matter, when the terrorist attack took place in taba, inside the egyptian lands...an egyptian reporter that i met, said that when she was there, she was extremely shocked when she found it FILLED W/ ISRAELI SOLDIERS!!! not only that, but also israeli soldiers from time 2 time, kill some egyptian soldiers on the border, & claim that it's an accident... & i really am surprised of ur saying that israel supplies plestinians w/ whatever...as all the news i read, wether from international or arabic sources_not the american 1 at that_, say that israel attacks, arrests, & kills palestinians everyday_including children_, & besieges the palestinian lands, so as 2 prevent them from living a normal life, wether 2 move between their lands, cultivate them, get medical care, or get any necessary supplies...but of course ur american news would never dare say that!!! it's quite clear that u r being brainwashed by reading only one side of view, without even attempting 2 get a glimpse at the other side!!!
nashnushi
Since you obviously have no idea what is going on and simply repeat (with mistakes) what some nitwit told you, it is clear that you are the one brainwashed. I will leave it at that, there is no use arguing with someone like you
The military regime of Burma says monks are under control. Our reply to them is that our Burmese monks are revered by the people and do not need them to control the monks.
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