Israeli writer and activist Shoshana Keats Jaskoll released a video on Twitter detailing how generations of Israelis have been raised with stress as a result of being constantly threatened by rockets from the Gaza Strip.
Jaskoll began the video by saying that there are people who “minimize” the effect of the rockets being shot into Israel since the Iron Dome has been effective in protecting Israelis from the rockets. However, Jaskoll pointed out that there is “an entire generation of Israelis who know life in 15, 30, 45 second increments because that’s how long they have to get to a bomb shelter because someone’s shooting rockets at them, trying to kill them.”
She added that there are Israeli children who go to school having to engage in drills to protect themselves from rockets and others who are constantly on the lookout for the nearest bomb shelter.
“That’s what terror does: terror brings it inside of you, so that even if there’s no rocket at that moment, or there hasn’t been in a week or even a month, it’s with you everywhere you go,” Jaskoll said. “Every decision you make, every step you take, you need to know: where is there a bomb shelter? How do I get my children safe? Can I go here today? Can I drive to this place? Is there a bomb shelter? What’s the amount of time I have from hearing that siren that brings anxiety to getting my children safe? This is how Israelis grow up.”
Jaskoll added that “it’s lacking in humanity and compassion” to minimize the effects the rockets have on Israelis and that it’s at least worth understanding the mindset of Israelis who have to deal with the looming threat of rockets.
“Why is ‘left’ a curse word in Israel, almost?” Jaskoll said. “Because they feel that whoever is in the government, if they’re left-wing, they’re just going to give more territory away, and there’ll be more cities under fire, more children growing up this way, more parents having to look for bomb shelters everywhere they go. That’s what you need to understand about the way Israelis are feeling, even if you don’t care.”
People minimize the effects of rockets shot into Israeli towns. Because most are shot down, ppl think they do no harm. But that's just not true. An entire generation of Israelis has lived life only knowing 15, 30, or 45 seconds to a bomb shelter. The stress takes a massive toll. pic.twitter.com/FxfjiKNElV
— Shoshanna Keats Jaskoll (@skjask) March 27, 2019
On March 26, the Israel Defense Forces tweeted out videos illustrating the anxiety associated with rockets:
As you wake up this morning, take a minute to think about how Israelis have been waking up over the past two days… pic.twitter.com/6FOpgysG0k
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 26, 2019
Mothers in Israel were just jolted awake from the sound of air-raid sirens. This is a glimpse into their reality under Hamas rocket fire: pic.twitter.com/xBrHBELmwT
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 26, 2019
There has been a barrage of rockets from the Gaza Strip toward Israel since March 25, prompting retaliatory strikes from Israel against Hamas targets in Gaza.
