BYE BYE GAZA - Barry Chamish

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The next day one of the audience, Doron, traveled to
Kissufim Junction to talk to the soldiers. He phoned me right
after. "You were right. They're not Israeli. They barely speak
any Hebrew. One told me he was Spanish."
Another question; "You see conspiracies everywhere. Why
should we believe you?"
"I see them only where they are provably real. And those
tanks at your borders are as real as proof gets. What is the
matter with you? You are back in Poland, 1942. The Gestapo
is primed to drag you out of your homes handcuffed and lead
you away in trucks. Who do you want to believe, me or
them?"
Question: "Then what can we do against all that power?"
Answer: "You can stand up and fight them like proud Jews
defending your homes. If you go down, go down with
dignity."
On the way back, I stop into Kfar Darom for refreshment from
the oppressive heat. A beautiful stone synagogue stands
nobly in the square. My host proudly notes, "We just finished
it last month."
"Fine," I thought. "Now let's see you defend it."
Monday, July 18/05.
The roads to Netivot are packed, traffic is backed up for ten
miles when it isn't completely stalled. We finally make it and
the first person I see is my departed cousin's wife and her
group. She has a story to tell:
"We were all on a bus to here when the Shabak raided it.
They took away the driver's license and warned him if he