A Blast of Reality

Except for our stop at the Gaza border, where we heard rocket fire in the distance, our stay in Israel could not have been more peaceful. In contrast to our previous visit, there were not a lot of police or military in evidence on the streets. People sat in outdoor cafes drinking coffee and laughing in the warm spring weather. This was the image I had carried home, hoping that it would be permanent.

Then late last night, my husband and I had the following exchange:

He: There’s been another suicide bombing in Israel, in Tel Aviv this time.
Me: How many killed?
He: 9, more injured.
Me: Who did it?
He: Islamic Jihad. Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, condemned the attack, but Hamas called it "legitimate".
Me: Was it in the area where we were?
He: No, it was in a poorer section of the city, where it is easier for the bombers to get in undetected. In this particular case, the guard at the entrance of the restaurant had just asked the bomber to open his backpack when he detonated the bomb. The guard was killed.
Me: Do you suppose any of those people we met in Tel Aviv were hurt?
He: I doubt it, but I think I’ll contact Ofer to see if he is OK.

All of a sudden, I found my stomach feeling queasy as I imagined the carnage left in the wake of this latest attack. The illusion of at least semi-peace had once again been shattered. I found myself calling up the image of that beautiful day we spent in Tel Aviv, wanting to pretend that it was still just like that. I had so recently touched that vibrant city that seemed so unafraid.

And then I become so outraged that any part of humanity could term such an attack "legitimate". This is the sort of behavior that demonizes the Palestinians for those living in Israel.

In response, the Israelis fired missiles at a metal workshop in Gaza City that manufactures rockets that are fired at Israel. And so it goes.

I find myself feeling grateful that there were no bombings while we were in Israel, but how selfish this is. The Israelis live with this day in and day out, sometimes getting a respite as they had had recently, but then being jarred back into reality when some fanatic chooses to blow himself up in a congested place. When, oh when, will this cycle of violence ever cease?