Getting Ready for the Next Round of Missile Escalation from Gaza:
A personal documentary by Noam Bedein
(4 min)

Photo: Rick Burres

In capturing a playground and a bomb shelter in the same photograph, I capture a scene that is both unique and unacceptable in the entire world. The situation of Sderot and the western Negev begs a question– what other western democracy in the world would tolerate even 1 rocket fired at its civilians?
What other country in the world has bomb shelters built alongside playgrounds, schools and kindergartens?
Expecting children playing in their playground to run for their lives within 15 seconds, once the siren-‘Tseva Adom’ goes off has become the norm here.
This summer during the ‘cease fire’ – a special playground was built, like no other in the world- a playground with swings, seesaws, and a concrete sheltered ‘caterpillar’ for children to run to once Qassam rockets and missiles begin exploding upon Sderot when the ‘cease fire’ ends.”

5 COMMENTS

  1. The whole situation is incomprehensible and infuriating. How can a self-respecting government allow its citizens to live with the constant fear of rocket attacks, and do nothing except build shelters and fortify rooftops. The situation is absurd and tragic. The only proper solution is to destroy the bombers and their launching pads. Nothing else will send the message that the present situaiton is intolerable.

  2. Could it possibly be that this benighted government is using the people of Sderot in the same way as Hamas and Fateh stick the Palestinian people in poverty deliberately?

    I know that I am cynical, but G-d forbid!

  3. Yet our "government" still sits down, shakes hands with and smiles toward the leaders of these perverse beings. Enough already! The do-gooders say: "Let them have it" "We "can live any where". Trouble is they are so safe and comfortable in their "America" they forget we have been driven out of every country in the world, yes, even the good ole USA. We have changed our names, our religion and our very appearance to "fit in" to their lifestyles. This has not worked for over 2500 years now, so when will we get it right? The only place a Jew fits in is Yisrael! We have our country back, at least in part, so lets all go home and make the very best of it. Oh by the way,, we were instructed to do this thousands of years ago, we didn’t listen then, have been running around getting our ancestors slaughtered by the millions, and yet I have trouble seeing anyone paying attention to the Instruction Manual even today, as we send our children out to be slaughtered by our enemies once again. I say Shame on those who claim to be our elders and let this evil continue. The "give in and roll over and play dead" way does not work. Oh now I’ve done it, i made the liberal thinkers mad again.

  4. Dear babs,

    The answer to your question is a resounding no.
    The Israeli government is not using the innocent civilians of Sderot as pawns for negotiations, as the Palestinian Leaders like to do with their own people. To the contrary, the government is trying to protect its people by the most humane and moral means it can.

    During the current ceasefire, the Israeli government has actively been building shelters and safer playgrounds for their children, as well as continuing to station IDF soldiers in and around the area.
    Israel has been trying to stop the rocket attacks from Gaza by means of preventing goods from crossing to the Strip, as well as limiting the supply of fuel and electricity. Additionally, there has been ordered an almost complete halt of any use of artillery by the IDF soldiers, lest any innocent civilians on the other side of the Strip are to get hurt accidentally.

    Perhaps then the condemnation here is to be placed on Hamas, for their refusal to cease their barbaric and hellish attacks on Sderot and the Negev, and for the training of their women and children to be suicide bombers and martyrs.

    So in answer to your question, the Israeli government is not ignoring the cries of the families of Sderot, it too wants this war and hatred to be put to an end. Whether or not the “proper solution is to destroy the bombers and their launching pads” is the only solution here is something that Hamas is going to need to decide.

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