More Missile Attacks from Gaza on Southern Israel

Nadene Goldfoot
Five rockets were fired from Gaza into southern Israel Thursday, Israel time, which would be Wednesday our time.    They were the far reaching kind which exploded in and near Ashkelon, Portland's sister city, which is much farther away from the border.  One struck near Be'er Sheva. 

A rocket struck the general area of Sderot, Israel from Gaza terrorists on Friday morning, Israel time.  Since Israel is about 10 hours ahead of us in the future, that would have happened by our time Thursday night.

Israel has warned constantly that anytime they are attacked to expect a retaliation.  You'd think that would halt their attacks, but it hasn't.  "The IDF will not stand any attempt to hurt the citizens of Israel and IDF soldiers and will continue to take resolute and forceful action against any attacks that employs terror against the state of Israel.  Terror organization Hamas is the address that bears the responsibility."  

The IDF reportedly struck 3 different targets; Hamas training camps in Gaza.  Its aircraft hit sites of terror activity in southern Gaza and another terrorist site in northen Gaza, and that accurate hits on target were reported.  Then a spokesman for Hamas blamed Israel for "the escalation in the region." 

Two terrorists were killed in the targeted IDF strikes Thursday morning.  Arabs said that 20 civilians were also hurt in the overnight IDF raids.  IDF said that "additional explosions were caused because of weapons stores near the terror activity sites that were hit."  IDF regrets casualties among uninvolved persons but once again, the responsibility rests with Hamas.  It's they who choose to operate from within the civilian population.  What they are doing is using civilians as human shields. 

Terrorists from Gaza fire rockets, missiles and mortars to kill, maim, destroy and frighten.  Whether they are successful with each firing or not in killing, their first goal, is not a consideration in retaliation.  Israel is not playing a game of: " you killed one of ours so we'll kill one of yours."   They do damage and disrupt the mental and physical lives of the people.  They know what the consequences of attacking Israel means.  They make their own choices.   

12/9/11 4:11pm "Barrage of Rockets Fired from Gaza into Southern Israel
from embassy of Israel
13 rockets fired from Gaza hit southern Israel in last 24 hours, threatening the lives of more than a million Israelis.

Residents of Southern Israel have remained on high alert since the attacks began on Thursday. A "Code Red" alarm has been sounded throughout the region.

The rockets have mostly fallen on the outskirts of towns, causing no damage or injuries at this time. The Iron Dome missile defense system has also been successfully deployed.

Resource: Artuz Sheva  news@israelnationalnews.com  by Gil Ronen "Gaza Arabs: 1 killed, 20 hurt in overnight air raids."
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/world/middleeast/israeli-planes-attack-gaza-targets.html

Important School Items for Southern Israel: Bomb Shelters

Nadene Goldfoot

Parents and students in Portland are looking forward to the start of school by buying all sorts of school supplies; crayons, pencils, Elmer's glue, etc.  Channel 8 is even helping out with a drive for donations for students that can't afford such things. 

Southern Israel parents and students have a different need.  They feel their future means continued rocket attacks from Gaza-based terrorists that won't end for years.  Because of this, they need bomb shelters for the schools.  They now have mobile bomb shelters to place near schools.  They can accomodate up to 18 people for a short period.  That could be one class per shelter. 

The residents are within  5 kilometers  (3 miles 188 yds)  from Gaza and get shellings that come so fast that they only have 15 seconds to get to shelter. 

Not all the schools within bombing range have shelters.  Ofakim will be prepared but the elementary schools in the Ashkelon areas farther away do not have any.  That's where the large hospital is and they have had to prepare for such attacks as well. 

Many of the largest schools in the region are prepared for missile strikes but many school care centers aren't.  Chabad has schools for boys and schools for girls from kindergarten up through 4th grade and they now have bomb shelters. 

I remember going through fire drills, earthquake drills and bomb drills in Portland as a child.  Bomb drills were executed in the hallways.   These children go through drills of how fast they can get to bomb shelters. 

Sderot, being the first town usually attacked as it is the closest to Gaza,  was able to get bomb shelters for their schools, but Israel can't afford to supply Ashkelon with them. 

I taught in northern Israel in Safed at the junior high.  That's fairly close to the Lebanon border.  We had a bomb drill that was quite an experience for me.  I was lucky that the students knew just what to do because I didn't.  We went to a basement area where there were all sorts of art supplies and a movie projector.  I have memories of needing to climb out on a ladder that I refused to do, wearing a skirt and being afraid of doing it.  It seemed like we had to hang in there for a terribly long time. 

Each apartment building had a bomb shelter.  I wasn't going to be able to bring my female German shepherd with me, so decided that I would hold up in my basement apartment if need be.  My dog was a bigger scaredy-cat than I was, so I couldn't leave her alone to hear horrible sounds of sirens and possible explosions.   

Yes, there's all kinds of things to think about when you're living in an area that is being shelled by your neighbor.  It affects your whole life.  It's not just how many casualties are numbered that counts.  It's the daily routines of life that are affected.   In Israel they just worry about getting through a day without being bombed.  These brave people are taking the stresses in their stride.  These are just problems to solve. 

Parents have reason to worry.  2009 was a terrible year with 569 rockets and 289 mortars raining into Southern Israel.  2010's count was 150 rockets and 215 mortars.  2011 also has had constant shelling.  In just the first few days of January there were 17 rockets and 31 mortars that fell.   July 30th grad missiles hit Ashkelon sending 8 people to the hospital in shock.  Apartments and other buildings sustained damage. 

On August 2nd Eilat, the furthest southern city was hit.  One missile went right into Aqaba, Jordan accidently and killed one person, and wounded several others.  That shows that the range of these missiles has stepped up.  August 18th  was another bad day of lots of missiles and rockets shot into Israel. 

One thing, those kindergarteners will learn to count to 15 very fast; Akhad, shtaim, shalosh, arbah, Khamesh, sesh, seveh, sh'monah, taishah, esser, akhad esar, sh'naym assar, sh'lo shaasar, arba aasar, kha 'mee shaasar.

UPdate 2;48pm Stand For Israel; "Responding to the escalation of attacks on southern Israel, The Fellowship is purchasing 100 bomb shelters for $1 million to be placed in areas targeted by terrorists in recent months. "Our mission is to help the people of Israel in whatever way we can," Rabbi Eckstein said."

Resource:Arutz sheva Missile Threat Not Abouty to End by Chana Ya'ar. news@israelnationalnews.com

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Palestinian_rocket_attacks_on_Israel,_2010

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Color

CEASE FIRE! Terrorists Break Promise-Five Nights Continued Shelling

The Arab terrorists (PRC) have not paid attention to their promise to adhere to a temporary cease fire.  They have just kept  on firing 14 times since then in the past 24 hours. Ashkelon, Portland's sister city is in the line of danger and its people had to run for cover at 7:40pm.  They must run as the alarm is within seconds of a strike.  

2 Grad katusha rockets landed.  Earlier another had struck an empty building.  By Sunday after the truce was decided, 12 rockets continued to fall into Israel.  

The Negev, where so many weaponry is landing has been the scene of a lot of missiles landing.  Jews here have been expelled for peace, bomb shelters have had to be built, and Israel wound up having to invent anti-Kassam missiles for defense.  Now they even have built a secret road for cars to travel on that will be safer as it's hidden from view.  Israel is doing everything it can in order not to have to repeat an Operation Cast Lead.   

The Hamas terrorists cannot seem to control the smaller terrorist factions that have sprung up, just as they did out of Fatah.  They had promised to control these groups and the PRC group reluctantly promised to stop, but only temporarily.  It seems they had not intention of actually stopping at all. 

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/147086