The reality of life in the Israeli towns and communities that border the Gaza Strip is rarely in the news, particularly during supposedly “quiet” times when “only” the odd rocket is fired from Gaza.
With that in mind, HonestReporting led a one-day trip to the Gaza border with military expert Elliot Chodoff to explore the issues Israel faces in dealing with this extremely problematic area. The trip is a snapshot sample of the week-long HonestReporting Mission that takes place in the Spring and Fall every year.
Along the way, Major (res.) Chodoff discussed the complexities of first defining and then dealing with terrorists. When a group like Hamas arms itself with military weapons and tactics, it becomes harder for a state to defend itself according to traditional military doctrine. The laws of war become less clear when a terrorist group embeds itself within civilian communities and hides behind civilian targets. Policy makers must decide whether attacks against military personnel qualify as terrorism as opposed to attacks against civilians which is more clearly defined.
That discussion set the stage for our stop at the IDF base that straddles the border with Hamas-controlled Gaza. An IDF officer from the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT) briefed our group on the complexities of having to sometimes coordinate with a hostile terrorist group when addressing issues of mutual concern.
We also received a briefing from the Israeli manager of the Erez Crossing terminal. A modern, multi-million dollar facility sits virtually empty. Ironically, it is Hamas that has frequently attacked the facility through which Palestinians pass on their way to Israel to receive medical treatment or visit family members.
Next stop was the “Black Arrow” lookout point, from which you can clearly see the high-rise luxury buildings where the Hamas leadership lives. Most of our group, accustomed to hearing in the media that the whole of Gaza lies in ruins, were surprised to see that there is another view of Gaza, one in which the well-to-do still live in relative comfort while maintaining their grip on Palestinian society.
We visited the city of Sderot and heard from a municipal youth worker who explained how the city has really made progress in the last several years. Rather than seeing themselves as victims of Hamas rocket fire, residents now take pride in showing the rest of Israel how the city can thrive despite the rocket threat. No visit to Sderot would be complete without a visit to the police station, where piles of fallen Qassams and other Palestinian rockets are stored.
There is so much inaccuracy in the media when it comes to Gaza, that it is important for people to learn for themselves about this critical area. We were pleased to have such a great turn-out. Future visits include trips to Israel’s northern border, Gush Etzion, and other areas which deserve to be seen first-hand to be understood.
From November 17-23, HonestReporting will be hosting a week-long Mission to Israel. A few spaces are still available. If you would like to join us for the full week, or even experience one day, please send an email to [email protected].
