Mike & Wendy Milo were an integral part of our community before going back to Israel. This is an email I received this week from them that I would like to share with you all.
Dear friends and family,
For the most part, we have been untouched by the current round of hostilities. True, for the past 7 years over 10,000 (yes, 10 thousand) rockets have been rained onto southern Israel but they did not reach here. Three people were killed in Kiryat Malachi, not far from Gaza. One was a pregnant woman. She and her husband are emissaries in New Delhi and she returned to Israel to give birth to her fourth child. Not to be.
Reserve call ups have begun and they are massive. One of our neighbors who is Daniella's age got called up. His wedding is scheduled for next week. Another whose wedding is this week got a deferment, but his friends will not be at the wedding. Today, the firstborn son of our next door neighbor (Meira) entered the Covenant of Abraham. Tomorrow, his father is off to duty.
Last week, rockets were shot at Tel Aviv. Buildings have been hit all over the place. Casualties have been low bc people run to bomb shelters when they hear the siren. Just like in '91, during the Gulf War when Iraq attacked us bc the America moved to force Sadam Hussein out of Kuwait...
Yesterday, Wendy and I went to Jerusalem to help Shai and Ilana pack before their move to a new apartment.
Within 30 minutes, the siren went off. It is a very eerie feeling to hear the wailing of a siren. You know it's real. You know that you can't say "won't happen to me. What are the chances of the missle falling right here...."
We went into a neighbor's house bc the place where Shai, Ilana and Ella live has no protected area. The rocket wound up landing in a Palestinian village. Some damage. No injuries. Just a reminder that reality is real.
This afternoon, another terrorist attack in Tel Aviv. Our enemies rejoice.
We have no joy in doing what we have to do. War is hell and the innocent suffer. Oh, well. What can you do with an implacable enemy? An enemy that says the only place for the Jews is at the bottom of the sea. Sad. Very sad. Like Golda Meir once said, "we will have peace when the Arabs love their children more than they hate us."
Not likely in this generation.
In any event, there are many commentaries out there spinning the facts to focus on this, not that. At some point, however, it gets down to the basic fact that one must do what must be done to protect those you love. We will do what must be done. Hopefully, our neighbors will soon decide that enough money and human suffering have been spent. Not likely, but one can hope.
What we need right now is your support and your speaking out in every forum possible. I don't evpect everyone to know all the facts and figures and debaters try to score points with obscure and false claims.
These facts are indisputable:
* After WWII, the world was in turmoil. Tremendous poplulation exchanges took place.
* After WWII, not only Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and India received "independence." A UN resolution also called for the creation of an independent Jewish State and an independent Palestinian State.
* Israel accepted the division of what was once the British Mandate. The Arabs did not. Seven Arab armies attacked the newborn state of Israel and -- against all odds -- Israel endured.
* Most of the land designated for the Palestinian State was taken by Jordan (West Bank) and Egypt (Gaza).
* The PLO was formed in 1964 dedicated to the destruction of Israel. This was BEFORE Israel "occupied" the West Bank.
* Between 1948 and 1967 (when Israel won the Six Day War), there were ABSOLUTELY NO CALLS for an independent Palestinian State.
* Between 1948-67, the West Bank was controlled by Jordan and its residents received Jordanian citizenship.
* After 1967, the Arabs refused to negotiate with Israel
* On Yom Kippur in 1973, Syria and Egypt attacked again. Israel won although we suffered tremendous casualties.
* In 1978, ALL of the Sinai peninsula was returned to Egypt in exchange for a peace treaty which has held -- more or less -- since.
* A peace treaty was signed with Jordan in 1994. The king of Jordan is now threatened by his own Arab Spring....
* In 2005, Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza; uprooting the Israeli residents, moving graves, and leaving behind a commercial infrastructure for agricultural imports.
* Within 10 days, everything left behind was destroyed and missles began.
Enough is enough. Sometimes there is only one thing to do with evil. Our parents generation knew what had to be done. We know, too. Sad. Very sad.
Finally, as someone who came from the non-Jewish world into this world; I know that many people who are not Jewish support us. You do. I know no one is happy about the death and destruction. I'm not either. It's just that peace, love and rock n' roll really doesn't work in this part of the world.
Not as we stand opposite those who simply want us dead.
Beth made an interesting post on the Green Party's Facebook page. "I saw a picture of an Israeli soldier giving an Arab child a drink. What would a Hamas militant do if he came across a Jewish child?" Sadly, we already know the answer. Yesterday in Gaza, they murdered six people "accused" of spying for Israel and dragged a body around the city behind a motorcycle.
Below is a link to monologue by Glenn Beck. Please watch. We need every minister and every rabbi to stand up and say the truth. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Be well.
Thanks.
Love, hugs and kisses,
Michael
