 |
Laura Ben-David made aliyah with her family three years ago from Boca Raton, Florida, to Neve Daniel. Inspired by the aliyah experience, Laura began writing and hasn't stopped. She is currently preparing to publish her first book, "Moving Up: An Aliyah Journal."
|
|
|
|
By Laura Ben-David
August 17, 2005
People are shattered. Since the first announcement of the planned disengagement from Gaza, all who opposed it have had many opportunities to take part in organized actions and demonstrations against it. Whether or not these protests have any effect, they are a united way, a healthy way of expressing opposition. Until the very last massive demonstration on Thursday night in Tel Aviv this has been the case.
Now that era is over. The troops have all been massed in Gush Katif; barriers and fences bearing "No Entry" signs have been put up at entrances to the doomed communities; fences and gates that were there, are being torn down. The same hundreds of thousands of people who have been marching and protesting the past year and a half, suddenly don?t know what to do.
How will they have the most effect? Should they do anything they can to get into Gaza? If they can, how will that help? Should they take to the streets, block traffic, cry, hold signs, and simply let people know that life cannot go on as normal while other people?s entire lives are being torn apart? Should we all go to one place or everyone just demonstrate near where they live? Or maybe we should be looking to the future and preparing food, lodging, a few of life?s little comforts for the soon-to-be refugees to give them that tiny little start to a very long and difficult healing process? But is doing that a sign of giving up? And are we so naïve as to think there is still a fight? As a result of this lack of clarity right now there are many thousands of scattered people all trying their best to accomplish something.
The main action has been people making their way in any way possible toward Gush Katif. It sounds crazy, but people have this intense need to just go there and do whatever they can even if it is no more than standing with the people of Gush Katif in a show of a support. There are now massive road and community closures which have caused a change in the means of people heading down there: they are going in small convoys of cars instead of in obvious buses, and trying to skirt the army and police. They are going under cover of darkness with maps of all the roadblocks, dirt roads and fields. My husband and two of my kids were in one of those convoys last night. They left home with tents, food and lots of water, having no idea where they were going or what they would do when they got there.
They went in a loose caravan of about 25 cars from Neve Daniel with a fake invitation to a wedding that was to be held in Gush Katif. After they veered away from roadblock after roadblock, they finally turned into a huge field. Suddenly there were police helicopters circling overhead with their spots seeking out the cars. The convoy all turned off their headlights and drove super-slow to avoid hitting the brakes. Some of the cars were caught and I have no idea what happened to those people. The whole thing seems more mystery and intrigue than anything else. But it was all too real. After a long, sleepless night of driving in circles in the field, followed by a brief snooze in an orchard under cover of the trees all to "show support," they headed home. At least for now.
People have been arrested right and left -- the whole concept of arrest has changed as many don?t look askance at these arrests at all, but rather have a great respect for these people. In a normal world the scratch on your record that one arrest would cause is enough to deter the average person from activity that might lead to arrest. I heard that a neighboring village of ours boasts 130 of its residents who made it illegally into Gush Katif somehow, while 19 who were arrested. Believe me; they are not embarrassed when these figures are announced. They are actually rather impressive numbers knowing my husband?s experience last night. Let me remind you that these are not normal times. Not in any way.
How did the people get into Gush Katif? Thousands of troops and police are at dozens of roadblocks and surrounding the communities. So how did they do it? Many walked miles through fields and nearby communities. No two stories are the same. I heard a few that I liked particularly. Realize that there have always been vehicles going in and out such as residents, supplies, etc. One young guy of about 6' 6", without a permit to enter, was riding alongside someone who does have a permit. As their car was pulled over for inspection he quickly pulled a cardboard box over his huge frame and just sat there crammed inside the box, hardly daring to breathe. They were simply waved through. Another guy with a permit was driving a truck into Gush Katif and was pulled over for inspection. He cautioned the officer about the ferocious dogs that were in the back of the truck and sure enough they were barking up a storm. The soldier opted not to examine the wild brutes and waved them through; all of the "dogs" were people and they all got in.
What they are all doing in Gush Katif varies radically depending upon who they are, where they are, and what is happening at that very moment. But mostly it is to support the people who are there in any way they possibly can. Whether that means barricading themselves into a house or synagogue to resist the expulsion, dancing and singing in the streets or helping people pack. They are there to support and will offer it in whatever form it is required.
There is nothing normal or natural about a country expelling its own people from their homes any more than a person cutting off his own arm. Especially if that person wished to replace the arm with one that is foul and diseased. After all, once Gaza is Judenrein (Jew-Free), the Palestinians are prepared to accept thousands of their brethren from Lebanon; rejects that the Lebanese consider too militant and a danger to their people. I'm sure they will make great neighbors.
The Gaza Strip was a wasteland before the Jews built their agricultural industry there. One woman, a resident of Neve Dekalim, described the wonders of turning the wilderness green. She explained how a beautiful apple tree in her yard wasn't even planned -- stray apple seeds from someone's snack landed in the sand -- yet the environment had become so fertile that it grew into a tree! Now they will be cutting down that tree; to her it will be like cutting down her soul.
There are still many, many people streaming down to Gush Katif. Anti-disengagement demonstrations are still happening. But the calls have come in for volunteers to cook and bake for those who are already homeless or soon to become so. Emails have gone around asking people to "adopt" families, to volunteer their skills, or to just give of their precious time; all in an effort to make a very bad thing just a little more bearable. This period will be remembered as a terrible stain in our history; perhaps for different reasons by different people. We may not have clarity right now, but we have many thousands of people who are all doing their best to make things a little better.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
|
|
|
|
Click on the blue headline to read a Talkback comment and respond to it. Click on the  icon to send a private email to the talkback writer. The icon appears only if the writer has decided to be contacted. If no popup window appears, please make sure your popup blocker allows israelinsider.com.
|
|
| |
|
|
