SAN DIEGO (Press Release) — StandWithUs’ ninth “Between The Lines: Voices of Israel – Stories Untold” tour brought Carlos and Elie to San Diego in February.
The nationwide annual tour features two reservists who relate their personal experiences in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), upholding its strict moral code, often in the face of an enemy that hides behind its civilians. Their stories have never been heard before. Last names are withheld for security reasons.
Carlos and Elie were hosted by StandWithUs San Diego, the six year-old chapter of the international Israel education organization that supports people around the world who want to educate their campuses and communties about Israel.
They also shared their backgrounds – Carlos was born in Columbia and studied film at Tel Aviv University. Elie hails from France and studies government, diplomacy and strategy at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.
Thousands at churches that are part of Latinos for Israel, including its founder Jonathan Valverde’s “Restoration” church regaled in their love for Israel with the soldiers. The Mighty One for Israel church had a banner, “We Love Israel” and the pastor’s wife at Templo Betesda sang “Hatikvah” in Hebrew.
Carlos and Elie also presented at San Diego Jewish Academy, Sabra Middle School, Southern California Yeshiva and UCSD, in programs arranged by the StandWithUs High School Interns and college Emerson Fellows. They were interviewed on OANN’s “”Tipping Point” with Liz Wheeler.
Led by Director Sara Miller, a Hawaii-born Christian with an MA in Islamic & Middle Eastern Studies from Jerusalem’s Hebrew University, and by San Diego-born Associate Director Chelsea Natan, who has an MA in Film & Television Directing from London’s University of Westminster, StandWithUs San Diego encourages support for Israel within the local Christian and Jewish communities.
Stated Miller, “The Israeli soldiers tour is one of the hallmarks of our year-long programming. We are immensely grateful to our Board and community for their vision in recognizing the importance of bringing them – and other speakers – to our area. They are essentially the organization’s eyes and ears and often alert us to events or issues relevant to fulfilling our mission.”
Carlos grew up in the Jewish community, but due to the security situation in Columbia, his family moved to Miami during high school; however, he returned to Colombia to complete high school. Upon graduating, Carlos decided to immigrate to Israel.
He joined the IDF’ Paratroopers Brigade stationed on the borders with Lebanon, Gaza, Egypt and the West Bank. He explained that Israel faces terrorism on all of its borders, sometimes a few miles away from home.
Adhering to its moral code to prevent civilian casualties, the IDF drops leaflets, sends text messages, makes phone calls and takes other precautionary measures to ensure that civilians stay out of harm’s way. Unfortunately, this also means that Hamas knows exactly when and where the IDF will be.
During the 2009 operation against Hamas in Gaza, Carlos and his unit entered the “war zone” after warning civilians to evacuate, expecting to encounter only Hamas terrorists. Yet, in the first house entered, they were shocked to find a woman and her six children. She remained because her husband would kill her if she dared to leave. A Hamas terrorist, her husband was nowhere.
“I thought who would do something like that? Who would coerce his wife and children to stay where they will surely be in grave danger? Back then I was shocked and upset,” recalls Carlos, “but now we know the use of human shields is a very common Hamas tactic.”
Elie shudders remembering the trauma of riding the subway in France at age 13, when someone noticed his Star of David. The man screamed, “Death to Jews…Free Palestine!” Only two years later, leading a troupe of boy scouts, there was a pro-Palestinian demonstration with people burning Israeli flags and calling for the death of Jews. This was the deciding point that convinced Elie to move to Israel.
He served for three years in the Special Forces of the Nahal Infantry Brigade. One day in the West bank, his unit received an order to prevent an attack from terrorists who were planning to drop boulders, randomly killing whoever was in the passing car. They turned out to be 15-16 year-olds. Invoking the IDF code to prevent casualties whenever possible, instead of shooting, he screamed at them to stop. He thought, “instead of giving children hope and a future, Palestinian leadership encourages them to attack Jews.”
Sharing a border with Syria, Israel often opens its doors to allow civilians fleeing the war to enter and provides medical aid to the injured. Elie smiles, “at that moment, I was so proud to be a part of this moral army.”
For more information about StandWithUs San Diego, please contact Chelsea Natan at chelsean@standwithus.com or call 858-598-8220, or visit: https://www.facebook.com/StandWithUsSanDiego/
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Preceding provided by StandWithUs.