The paper, Israel's largest, published a long article about the nearly 5,000 mortar shells that have bombarded Gush Katif – the bloc of Jewish communities along Israel's Mediterranean Gaza Coast – for the past four years. For many readers, it was their first glimpse at a problem that has made life almost intolerable for thousands of Jews.
The main points of the article, as summarized by Cities of Israel spokesperson Susie Dym, are as follows:
* The "Avot" [Fathers] neighborhood in N'vei Dekalim, Gush Katif's largest community, is filled with mini-craters – each one the result of another mortar shell. It is no doubt the most shelled neighborhood in the history of the State of Israel.
* The capabilities of the mortar shells have increased over the past several months. The new models are larger and more exact, and they more frequently strike inside the towns - often near schools and nurseries. A regional council employee said, "Today's shells look like they came out of Israel's Military Industries."
* When the army receives an order to stop the shelling, it succeeds in doing so.
* N'vei Dekalim resident Meir Cohen said, "Our house was refurbished five times already; the windows and doors have been smashed countless times. Our neighbors, the Golans and Dahans, have been hit as well, and so have the Adam, Gross, Sokol, Yerimi, Zelinger and Alfasi families."
* Chana Adam, whose house has been hit no fewer than nine times, said, "I can't speak, look how I'm shaking, the fear has paralyzed my voice. It's a fear that I can't control."
* The Palestinian terrorists fire the shells mainly in the morning, when the children are on their way to school and kindergarten, and they target those buildings specifically.
* Ganei Tal resident Tova Bar-Shalom: "Can you imagine any community in Israel that would be hit 500 times, or 100, or even 20, and the IDF would barely react? We're almost up to 5,000 shells!" N'vei Dekalim alone, with 520 families, has been hit 2,500 times.
* Another resident: "Everyone knows that they have mobile launchers near mosques and in residential neighborhoods. But the IDF commander says that the army can't shoot into residential neighborhoods or mosques. We yelled at him, 'But our children are more important than [that]!'"
Cities of Israel, a grassroots pro-Land of Israel organization, calls for the bombardment of the Prime Minister's Office and IDF Chief of Staff with faxes and phone calls: "The message must be, 'Solve the problem, immediately and once and for all.'" The above information, the organization states, should be posted on bulletin boards in synagogues, schools and public areas, and distributed by email.
The Youth Council of Gush Katif is planning a "Youth Shabbaton" in Katif for two weeks from now, Jan. 1. The objective: "Not to remain apathetic in light of the declarations in the government and Knesset on weakness, lack of spirit, giving up and retreat. We are here! We will spread the message of settlement throughout the Land!" The event will include tours of the Katif area, lectures and classes by guests and residents, and a musical performance by "L'Chatchila." For more information, visit "www.katif.net".
The main points of the article, as summarized by Cities of Israel spokesperson Susie Dym, are as follows:
* The "Avot" [Fathers] neighborhood in N'vei Dekalim, Gush Katif's largest community, is filled with mini-craters – each one the result of another mortar shell. It is no doubt the most shelled neighborhood in the history of the State of Israel.
* The capabilities of the mortar shells have increased over the past several months. The new models are larger and more exact, and they more frequently strike inside the towns - often near schools and nurseries. A regional council employee said, "Today's shells look like they came out of Israel's Military Industries."
* When the army receives an order to stop the shelling, it succeeds in doing so.
* N'vei Dekalim resident Meir Cohen said, "Our house was refurbished five times already; the windows and doors have been smashed countless times. Our neighbors, the Golans and Dahans, have been hit as well, and so have the Adam, Gross, Sokol, Yerimi, Zelinger and Alfasi families."
* Chana Adam, whose house has been hit no fewer than nine times, said, "I can't speak, look how I'm shaking, the fear has paralyzed my voice. It's a fear that I can't control."
* The Palestinian terrorists fire the shells mainly in the morning, when the children are on their way to school and kindergarten, and they target those buildings specifically.
* Ganei Tal resident Tova Bar-Shalom: "Can you imagine any community in Israel that would be hit 500 times, or 100, or even 20, and the IDF would barely react? We're almost up to 5,000 shells!" N'vei Dekalim alone, with 520 families, has been hit 2,500 times.
* Another resident: "Everyone knows that they have mobile launchers near mosques and in residential neighborhoods. But the IDF commander says that the army can't shoot into residential neighborhoods or mosques. We yelled at him, 'But our children are more important than [that]!'"
Cities of Israel, a grassroots pro-Land of Israel organization, calls for the bombardment of the Prime Minister's Office and IDF Chief of Staff with faxes and phone calls: "The message must be, 'Solve the problem, immediately and once and for all.'" The above information, the organization states, should be posted on bulletin boards in synagogues, schools and public areas, and distributed by email.
The Youth Council of Gush Katif is planning a "Youth Shabbaton" in Katif for two weeks from now, Jan. 1. The objective: "Not to remain apathetic in light of the declarations in the government and Knesset on weakness, lack of spirit, giving up and retreat. We are here! We will spread the message of settlement throughout the Land!" The event will include tours of the Katif area, lectures and classes by guests and residents, and a musical performance by "L'Chatchila." For more information, visit "www.katif.net".