By H. Applebaum
SAN DIEGO –Be’er Sheva Chief Rabbi Yehuda Deri performed a wedding in a bomb shelter two days ago as rockets were fired from Gaza throughout Southern Israel. Ironically, the bride was born during the Gulf War while Iraq was firing Scud missiles on Israel.
Seven hundred rockets and missiles have been fired from Gaza in the last three days, targeting towns in Southern Israel. Gaza was supposed to be a peaceful place since Israel gave it as part of the land for peace deal in 1993, but, practically from the day they took over, the Arabs have used the strip along the Mediterranean as a launching pad for a war of terror against Israel.
North of Gaza, on the coast, is the ancient city of Ashkelon, which has a large archaeological park including the oldest archway in the world. That park was one of the reasons I chose to live in Ashkelon for a few months. I will never forget the quiet streets, lovely beaches, and fascinating historical sites. It is horrible to see that peace destroyed by constant rocket fire.
Many rockets are fired at random, but some are targeted. The Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon was targeted and, because of an early warning system, the mothers and babies in the maternity ward were evacuated minutes before the bomb hit.
Most of the residents of Ashkelon are from Arab and Muslim countries which hounded them out after Israel was established. Now these same people are suffering again and they ask, as all Jews should be asking…..where and when will this end?
*
Applebaum is a freelance writer based in San Diego.