Another siren, another dash for the hallway. I'm blogging and I'm asking my roommate to count the booms so that I can concentrate on what I'm writing. Okay, we heard only two missiles strike in Haifa, and they didn't sound like they struck close to our home.
One person was killed in Nahariyah (the town 40 km north of us) earlier. Apparently he was in the bomb shelter during the day, but came out to breathe some fresh air. He managed to gather his kids and send them back down but was hit before he could get back in himself.
I think it's over now and we'll go back to the living room to watch the news.
3 comments:
Carmia, keep up documenting life in Haifa under the threat of Katyushas, but stay prudent. You know that we are with you, AN and O and others in the North with all our thoughts.
I thought of adding some comments about my routine in Haifa these days:
1. Showers are extremely short, late night preferred.
2. The best time to go to the bathroom is 10 minutes after the alarm sounds. By then, all rockets have fallen and the next round is yet to come.
3. I don't know if I spend less money because I don't leave the house, or more money because the electricity is always on...
I am frankly pessimistic, but still maintain some hope that the devastation of parts of Lebanon and the loss of many innocent lives will eventually result in curbing the unlawful activities of the Hizbolla militia. Although celebrated by some as "defenders" of Lebanon against the "Zionist aggressor", it should be clear to any observer that this very organization purposefully undermines the fragile stability of the Lebanese state and openly defies Lebanese policies and interests in its quest to carry on with its military actions.
The Israeli strikes against Lebanon (with the intention to force the democratically elected Lebanese government to reign in the militia) and even the strikes against Hizbolla's strongholds and artillery/rocket launching pads may (again) turn out to be a costly, but futile repetition of earlier similar attempts.
It is hard for me to comprehend the cynism of this group as of other movements, who provoke severe civilian destruction for their own political ends. It should be abundantly clear after the lessons learned from Chechniya, the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey, or the two "intifadas", the Kashmiri insurgency and many others, that continued military and/or terrorist acts against a superior "enemy" are irresponsible and disastrous for the well-being of the exposed population.
It is a bad joke to proclaim that Hizbolla "defeated" the Israeli army when Israel decided to withdraw from Southern Lebanon. Without Hizbolla's military adventures (or their backers), Lebanon and Israel could live in peace and continue enjoying the "good fence" relationship.
Or: without Hamas' and other revisionist groups' terrorism, Palestinians probably would continue working in many places in Israel and continue enjoying employment (food),(relative) freedom of movement and education while building their own state and society. Would it not be better for the population to change Gaza into another Hong Kong and develop a high-tech industry in collaboration (or competition) with Isral instead of investing in Quassam rockets and explosive belts and inflict misery, night mares and malnutrition in this densely populated area ?
And does Mr. Nasrallah intend to "create" another Somalia in Lebanon ? Perhaps to finally impose his vision of an islamic Shi'i society and then overthrow Israel ?
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