Shachar

Dateline Jerusalem -- Normal routine as I awaken this morning to the buzzing of the Code Red Siren alert system on my computer at 6:15. Who needs an alarm? The number six must be of significance because there is a barrage of rockets around 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. most days. Once at 6 a.m., Hamas threatened to shoot at the airport in Tel Aviv yesterday, but failed to do so.

Dateline Jerusalem – At 3 a.m., I heard the drone of jets above me. I could barely keep my eyes open. Since the new policy of no Code Red Siren alerts unless rockets will fall in populated areas, the number of alarms is fewer but the number of rockets reaching Israel has not diminished. As of this moment, 11 siren alerts have been made. That seems a lot considering it covers only a period since midnight. How many siren alerts would there have been under the old policy of including the sounding of sirens in open areas.

Dateline Jerusalem -- Looks as if the cease-fire was violated at 3:47 p.m. It was supposed to end at midnight. Even though there were no Code Red Siren alerts, three rockets landed in an open area in the Be'er Sheva desert. Residents heard the explosions. A new policy says no sirens if it looks as if they will land in open areas. Immediately after, I heard our jets take off overhead. They have not stopped. Nor have the rockets into Israel.

Dateline Jerusalem -- I have a new name. Call me Confused. The cease-fire was supposed to end tonight. Israel stopped train service to the south. All day I heard the rumble, at times thunder, of jets flying fast and low overhead. I even hear them now. I felt secure that the Israeli Air Force was in the sky to protect Israel. The rhetoric in Israel was that the negotiators in Cairo were not to agree to anything that could harm Israeli security. Now there is another cease-fire agreement for an extension of 24 hours, with none of the changes Israel insisted upon.

Dateline Jerusalem -- The weekend was quiet, the cease- fire holding, to my surprise. It is to end at midnight, but Israel is expecting another barrage of rocket fire this evening. They do not expect Hamas to directly violate the cease-fire, but to allow smaller armed factions within Gaza to do so, just as the last time, so they can claim they were not in violation. Either way, Israel is anticipating rocket fire from Gaza before the official deadline.

Dateline Jerusalem -- Not much happening today. Only rumors abound. The U.S. says one thing, Israel another, and factions within contradict each other. Allegedly progress is being made toward a final cease-fire agreement. It looks as though most of Hamas's demands have been met. Sources say Israel no is longer insisting upon a demilitarized Gaza. Others contend Israel agreed to a seaport and airport. If Hamas's demands were met, what is the holdup? Some say Israel never agreed to the outrageous terms. There is talk the war is over and each side will go back to the way it was before. I am confused.

Dateline Jerusalem -- At 9:47 last night, the cease-fire was violated by Hamas. Code Red Siren Alerts sounded all over southern Israel as rockets were launched more than two hours before the 72-hour cease- fire expired. Israel agreed to extend the cease-fire after accepting Egypt's terms. Hamas did not. Hamas could not even wait out the end of the cease-fire before attacking Israel. Not only did Hamas fire at Israel, but also on Egyptian-controlled Sinai near the Sinai-Gaza border, killing one child and injuring two others.

Dateline Jerusalem -- Being the daughter of a former U.S .Naval Academy father and a U.S. Marines mother, I strongly admire Israelis for coming together in time of need, and they support their troops. Unlike U.S. soldiers who risk their lives overseas to protect U.S. freedoms and democracy at home, and who often return from war as outcasts, not appreciated, Israeli soldiers are respected. Perhaps because both men and women are drafted into the Israeli military, serving one's country never is given a second thought. Israelis are more cognizant of the fact that the existence of Israel is dependent upon ...

Dateline Jerusalem -- "All Quiet on the Western Front," an inaccurate English translation of the novel titled "Im Westen nichts Neues", literally "In the West Nothing New," by Remarque, describes the latest cease fire between Israel and Gaza, on its south western border. The phrase "all quiet on the Western Front" is an expression used when there is stagnation or lack of visible change. Although the rockets have stopped since just before midnight Sunday night, I have yet to see any change in the behavior of Hamas.

Dateline Jerusalem -- I awakened yesterday at 6:13 to the Code Red Alert on my computer, notifying me of a siren alert in Israel. My neighborhood has been quiet since Friday evening. Other areas, especially in the south, nearest to Gaza, have had sirens screaming at them the entire weekend. Although southern Israel has been under rocket, missile and mortar attack, Israel had opened the Kerem Shalom-Gaza border checkpoint to provide humanitarian aid via 200 to 250 delivery trucks to Gaza daily, even on Shabbat. By 8 a.m., the checkpoint was closed because Hamas had attacked the checkpoint with mortar fire. I presume they use the closure for their public relations war against Israel.