Letters from Israeli soldiers part III

“We are now deep into a military operation, an operation we knew was coming as soon as the latest operation came to an end back in 2012. Not because we did not get meaningful results, but because we stopped, held ourselves tight and pulled ourselves backwards while the international community told us how we should live our lives in this unbearable reality where Israeli civilians are being threatened by terrorists who control a civilian population, holding them and the people of Israel hostage.

Today, just like two years ago, we experience this captivity by a terror organization operating in the Gaza Strip, only in this round we are a bit smarter and our defense systems have improved significally. The leaders of this terror organization have also improved their offense systems, but so far we are willing to provide an appropriate response.

What hasn’t changed from the last operation and the one before is the people, the civilians who say over and over again that they are tired of this absurd situation of life under fire. They also say they are tired of the government making decisions shaping their way of life in the shadow of the international community, to which it must always explain our every move. Frankly, I don’t get it. 

The international community, who always tell the state of Israel how it should act in a territory they don’t even know, who don’t understand the consequences of sitting with our hands tight around our backs when facing terror on a daily basis. I am positive you wouldn’t have sat tight if this was your reality.

I am now looking at the WhatsApp messages sent by my Miluim (reserve) unit, and see the people’s spirit of volunteering. Those people work hard every day in order to create a better life for themselves and for their families, and in times of need willing to drop everything and volunteer for reserve duty, so that the people in the line of fire will get a chance for a better, quieter, life.

This is the most beautiful side of Israel.”