While Hamas terrorists are strapping on suicide vests to confront IDF soldiers in Gaza, the soldiers of Israel are wrapping themselves in the love and gratitude of their people.
All over Israel businesses are collecting gift packages for soldiers. There are signs in the streets promising, “We will be strong at home so that you can win on the battleground.” Israeli singers, celebrities (including some left-wing ideologues) are visiting wounded soldiers in hospitals – sitting with them, singing to them, hugging them. Thousands of Israelis are visiting the wounded, just to say thank you. More are attending funerals of soldiers they never knew for the same reason – to say thank you.
Children are sending their drawings and blessings to soldiers. One group of soldiers plastered their tank with the drawings they received saying that this will be the source of their strength.
A different soldier reported that on a drawing he received, there was a phone number so he called, to say thank you. He spoke to the family who was very moved to hear from this unknown soldier. Then he spoke to the little girl who drew the picture. She told him: “You are there protecting me right?” He answered: “Yes, I am here to keep you safe”. She replied: “Please do something for me? Please keep yourself safe.” These are the children of Israel…
Israelis do not love the battle. No one wants to fight but when left with no choice, we fight.
The price is heartbreakingly high.
The international media doesn’t talk about the families of the soldiers who died protecting this nation. They don’t talk about the mother that knowing in her heart that her son would be killed, taped their last phone conversation so that she could continue to hear his voice after he was gone. The media doesn’t show you the brother who, certain his brother was killed, sat in the window waiting for the army representatives to knock on their door. You don’t see how this brother, seeing the army representatives coming up the road, flew out of the front door, racing towards them screaming: “Go away, I don’t want to hear what you have to say! I don’t want it to be true!”
No one reports on our love or our heartache.
I have never seen any compassion in the media for our wounded. No one considers the injuries that will affect many for the rest of their lives. No one thinks of the horrors they have witnessed – friends dying in their arms, people blowing up in front of them… No one marvels that those who have had these experiences remain humane, moral and decent. It is however, something to marvel at.
I wish the world would see.
I wish people would see the wounded soldier, with both eyes bandaged, playing piano in the middle of the hospital. I wish people around the world could see the faces of the people watching him from a distance, to not disturb. (Since when do Israelis keep their distance or give anyone space?). What happened to him? Will his eyes be ok? Will he be able to see again? I don’t know. I know the music he was playing was very beautiful, full of regret and pain (he was playing Passenger’s song: “Let Her Go”). I know that seeing this, I felt exactly like the female soldier watching him. Her face twisted in anguish and tears streaming from her eyes, she turned away from the wounded soldier-musician so that he wouldn’t hear her crying.
Why doesn’t anyone want to see??
No matter what is said about us, the people of Israel are extraordinarily loving and kind. We support and sooth each other with love. We even have compassion for our would-be murderers.
In contrast, Hamas has hatred for the people of Israel, just because we exist. Worse, they have no love for their own people. They raise their children to hate and teach them that martyrdom is the greatest thing they can achieve. All children should be wrapped in love. Those who are not should be helped, protected.
I wish the world would see that too.
Inspiration from Zion: This is a Love Story 