Dateline Jerusalem — It isn’t quite summertime yet, but things are heating up in Israel, literally and figuratively. Against a backdrop of almost record high scorching temperatures of 109 this week, the terrorists in Gaza launched rockets into Israel reminiscent of last summer’s war. This is not the first time rockets have fallen since last August. A month ago on Israel’s Independence Day, Katyusha rockets were lobbed into Israel from Gaza.
Hamas allegedly claims they did not send these Grad missiles with a longer range than the short range Katyusha and Kassam rockets often shot from Gaza. Hamas blames a conflict in Islamic Jihad regimes overseeing the northern region of Gaza for the missile/rocket fire. However, Israel holds Hamas responsible for the attack since Hamas rules and controls Gaza. Of the several rockets launched, one landed near Gan Yavne, just 6.3 miles east of Ashdod and 13.7 miles south of Rehovot. To put it in perspective for my Antelope Valley friends: My home in Israel in relation to the rocket landing in Gan Yavne is like being in my old home in Quartz Hill viewing rocket fire in Palmdale.
In retaliation, Israeli jets targeted Islamic Jihad training camps in Gaza. To the surprise of many, left-wing Knesset ministers of the “Opposition” from Zionist Union, Yesh Atid, and Yisrael Beytenu demanded Bibi’s right-wing government respond forcefully to the rocket fire and disarm Hamas. I guess when there is a threat from terrorism, the country unites. Although there was another surprise this week when anti-Israel Amnesty International blamed Hamas for war crimes against Palestinian civilians during last year’s war with Israel, it wasn’t so surprising after all because Amnesty International blamed Israel for creating a situation that caused Hamas to commit war crimes against its people. It reminds me of the time Israel was condemned for being discriminatory because its soldiers did not rape Palestinian women!
Next week Israel’s Home Front Command will be having a nationwide drill to prepare us for life in shelters, safe rooms and stairwells. Israel must prepare for another war because Hamas has rebuilt its terror tunnels with the concrete and building supplies the international community sent to rebuild Gaza. Terror tunnels have been constructed by Iran-backed Hezbollah to infiltrate Israel from the north. Last week, several scuba divers’ wet suits were found, indicating they were to be used to infiltrate Israel from the Mediterranean Sea on its western border. What with ISIS on Israel’s eastern border at the Golan, this next war quite possibly could be on all fronts. In addition to the terror tunnels, Hamas has been testing longer range rockets and missiles.
The words to Cole Porter’s song in the musical Porgy and Bess, “Summertime and the livin’ is easy,” do not apply to Israel where nothing is easy any time of the year, especially summer.
L’hitraot. Shachar