Thursday, January 17, 2008
On the Gaza border
We're sitting on a hill over looking It's quiet. Except for the monotonous buzz of an Israeli drone overhead. Most times, we can't see it. But now and then, you can catch it's white triangular body against the blue sky, waiting and watching. It never seems to change speed. Our producer calls to tell us of an Israeli air strike in Occasionally, we hear a different noise. A distant boom and then a plume of smoke climbs the sky. Another rocket attack. That makes 26 today. I'm sure there are more. Our cameraman calls us. He's out getting gas and sandwiches for lunch. The rocket landed less than 200 meters from the station, he says. But don't worry, he says, no injuries and lunch is on the way. Earlier, an Israeli army unit dropped by. They told us not to linger here too long. There are snipers, says one soldier. He is wearing a battered flak jacket and points to Thanks, we say, we'll be careful. He shrugs his shoulders. Up to you, he says, and they drive off. Now, we can hear the call to prayer. It drifts over the border from the Our cameraman drives up, grinning and unscathed, clutching a bag of sandwiches and diet sodas. So, we sit down for a picnic on the border, basking in the sunshine and listening to the distant sounds of war. -- From CNN correspondent Atika Shubert on the 15 Comments
 Add a comment
This is truly amazing to read. The casual nature with which Shubert writes with is so interesting given the insanity that is going on around the crew. The rest of these blogs might be like this too, but I just read this for the first time and felt the need to say something. Hope you do alright.
This situation needs to kept in perspective - one side is trying to kill anyone it can on the other and proudly risks the lives of their families and neighbors to do so - the other side is trying to stop the others with as little bloodshed as possible. The unbalanced reporting we get from BBC, Reuters and many others will ignore these basic facts.
You would think suicide bombings and rockets would spark huge reactions from the people in Israel. I mean, if a bomb would go off in the U.S., people would run around screaming like chickens with their heads cut off.
Israeli citizens, and I couldn't believe this at first when my Israeli friend told me, have a very nonchalant outlook on terrorism. A bomb could go off in the same mall, and they would continue shopping (or so she says). They have this casual outlook because it is the only one they can afford. If they were to run around crazed after every attack, it is all they would do everyday. To an Israeli, becoming a terrorist victim is just "unlucky".
IT is amazing to see how the entire world leaders ignore this dire situation. Also, if there is any problem in the world UN does send monitoring troops in there. Why not UN or NATO troops are in the Gaza-Israeli border? Why the state of Israel refuses to accept UN or NATO troops, do they have anything to hide?
CNN and Atika keep repeating the story of the very primitive Palestinian rockets that are falling on an Israeli settlement. Nothing is said about the tanks, bulldozers and missiles that the Israelis use to attack a defenseless civilian population. Nothing is said about the hundreds of civilians that the Israeli forces have killed. Nothing is said about Israel being in daily breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention. Read it, Atika.
Enjoy your diet soda, Atika.
its such a shame for the world today that we all share, that peace is just a word in some areas of the world.we as the human race need to come together to find freedom for everyone.
Poor Israelis living in Sderot. For the Palestininas sake tell Hammas to stop these senseless rockets!
poor palestinans? you would think they would be smart enough to stop firing rockets. Palestinians do not want peace. They have chosen terrorism and will lose because of their poor decision. As Americans we must show the world that terrorism will get you nothing. G-d bless Israel, may he protect those who choose freedom and peace.
poor palestinans? you would think they would be smart enough to stop firing rockets. Palestinians do not want peace. They have chosen terrorism and will lose because of their poor decision. As Americans we must show the world that terrorism will get you nothing. G-d bless Israel, may he protect those who choose freedom and peace.
what atika is trying to write in her blog is not a serious debatable point ... she write ( what i understood ) is life is lived dangerously there ...
and not pointing any one.. sudheer
60 years of occupaiton, and the Palestinians victims are still to be blamed. If US stops blind support of all Israeli policies moral and "immoral", peace would have been achieved long time ago. I agree that launching rockets wouldn't help, but hey, this is Hamas that Israel created around Osla to fight Arafat :). After all Hamas got elected and since then, US and Israel didn't recognize or helped. Israel kept it's assasiations policies and killing many civilians in the process. Lord have mercy. I feel bad for all of us for keeping quiet on these atrocities. Blog author, I hope you let others read my comments in its entirity.
After Israeli withdrawal from Gaza there was no single Israeli attack on Gasa. Gazans were shooting rockets to Israeli cities and farms every single day. Then they attacked Israeli army post on a sovereign Israeli territory and killed soldiers. Now Palestinians keep firing those rockets, Palestinian sniper shoot a farmer working on the field in Israel. Every country in the world will defend itself if attacked - and so does Israel. If Palestinians want peace - just stop firing at your neighbors. It seems, though, that that don't want peace. They should blame themselves for all their troubles.
|
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Hear from CNN reporters across the globe. "In the Field" is a unique blog that will let you share the thoughts and observations of CNN's award-winning international journalists from their far-flung bureaus or on assignment. Whether it's from conflict zone, a summit gathering, or the path least traveled, "In the Field" gives you a personal, front row seat to CNN's global newsgathering team.
ARCHIVE
• December 2006• January 2007 • February 2007 • March 2007 • April 2007 • May 2007 • June 2007 • July 2007 • August 2007 • September 2007 • October 2007 • November 2007 • December 2007 • January 2008 • February 2008 |
