Bilateral hell breaks loose

29th August, 2004

Raleb is one of our officers. He's Druze. He dislikes Palestinians, but is good towards us soldiers.
He made sure I get home very early today. I was ready at 5am and arrived home at 9:30, thanks to him. (There's a bus from Kiryat Gat that crosses Telem and arrives at Kiryat Arba. Kiryat Arba is populated mostly by religious Israelis and Russian-Israelis. It's close to Hebron and not too far away from Jerusalem. I took a bus to Jerusalem and then to Tel Aviv. Eventually I spent around 4 hours on this ride, but once you get home you become so relieved...

While I was on the bus to Jerusalem, I heard how two 40 year old Russian-Israeli women started talking about me: "I'll sit next to this handsome soldier." I don't know if she realized that I know Russian. After a while she changed her seating place, saying: "May a pretty, young lady sit next to you." Wow... That surely doesn't happen often.

There was indeed one pretty, young lady who was sitting... almost next to me (opposite side - same row) on the bus from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv. I only noticed her when we arrived to the central bus station in Tel Aviv. She looked at me as we left our seats, looked at me again while we were standing in line for a security check. When I looked at her again, I noticed that she was quite pretty... but it really didn't matter to me.

I went to an ATM. While I was withdrawing money, I noticed that there was someone behind me, standing in line, looking like her. I didn't look back so I'm not sure it was her. Then, when I took the bus home, the 4th encounter happened. She came to the same bus stop where I was waiting and took the same bus!!! Is she following me or is it a very rare coincidence?!

She looked at me once more while we were standing at the bus stop. When the bus arrived, I sat in the last row so she wouldn't sit behind me, but then she sat on one of those seats that were facing me!! After a while someone took a seat between the two of us.

This whole incident reminded of my earlier "catch the moment" opportunities in which I had my one, single chance with girls that I met outdoors. But I'd never taken them since I have Angel. There's no way in the world I would dare hurting her feelings and jeopardizing our unique relationship. This relationship has the best chances of success out of all the relationships I've ever had. I'm giving it my best for there's no way to know if chances like this might come along again in the future.

Anyway, that girl left the bus before I did and I have never seen her again.

1st September, 2004

Back to the army...

I was late for my bus.. but the next one would arrive there in time, unless something would prevent it.. I was nervous, looking at the watch (9:56) - I have to get to the train station at 10:15. The bus driver was driving so slowly, people were coming on and off the bus at every bus station, but what really took most of my precious time was the traffic jam at Etzel street. After a few minutes of stressfully waiting in my seat, I realized that the traffic jam would take a while to clear up. I took my bag and left the bus, running forward as fast as I could. There was a minibus-taxi ahead of me. I took it.

It was already 10:14 when I arrived. I had to cross a bridge, connecting the two sides of the road. While I was running towards the other side of the bridge, I saw my train departing. That was a death sentence for me. I couldn't get to Kiryat Gat at 11am. I was late and I could be punished for that...

I called my commander. He asked Yair and then told me to get to Kiryat Arba instead. I got there at 12:42pm. Only at 4:10pm I was taken to the base. They always leave you waiting for hours before they arrive with their Toyota (battery's car, used mainly for logistics) to take you away.

I wasn't the only soldier who was supposed to get to Kiryat Gat, so I was surprised to find out that no one from Kiryat Gat has arrived yet. So even though I was late, I arrived earlier than the others.

I just found out that yesterday there was a double suicide bombing in Beer Sheba. I called my brother to see if he's okay. He studies at the Ben-Gurion university in Beer Sheba.

Around 19 people were killed with over 70 injured. The two suicide bombers came from... HEBRON!!

But no, not from our side of Hebron. We only control the northern part of Hebron. The suicide bombers came from the southern part of the city.

IDF has a full closure on Hebron now. We have to check everyone who enters and leaves Hebron at its northern side. Helicopters hover over the city.

As I was at the base I looked for Lital. The other service terms desk-worker told me she's on a regila now, that she'll be back by next Sunday. She found out for me if the form has been signed yet. It hasn't been. "Lital will give it to the regiment's commander next Sunday." I thanked her and left the office. There's less than 2 weeks and now I have to wait 1 week until the process could be resumed? I already have the tickets, they wouldn't dare to back off on me, would they?

Or, Rami and me replaced the soldiers at one of the three pillboxes that our battery garrisons. It's the same pillbox I was in a week ago. It's located in Hebron's north-eastern corner. It's located next to a junction with 3 roads leading to Kiryat Gat, Jerusalem and Kiryat Arba. Normally, our main objective here is to carry out checkpoints on the road when ordered and open the gate opposite the pillbox. It's a humanitarian gate. Just as the name suggests, we open it for ambulances mostly, after we check them.

Since all the roads to Hebron were closed, the humanitarian gate was among the only remaining open roads leading in and out of Hebron. Therefore, many cars and trucks tried to make their way through this passage and had to be checked. Trucks with food, gas canisters, medical equipment and other necessary goods were allowed to pass. International vehicles were allowed to pass as well. Hebron citizens who were coming back home (if I remember correctly) were allowed to pass as well. The rest were turned back.

Or turned some of the trucks back telling them to go to Hebron-Halhoul bridge (where the 2nd pillbox is located), even though he knows perfectly well that there's no passage there. The roads are closed.

Why did he do it? I don't know. Maybe he just didn't care. But he was the commander there and he decided how it was going to be. I could only watch and hope that these trucks would either come back here or find some other way to Hebron.

3rd September, 2004

3 soldiers from DCO (District Coordination Office) arrived to the pillbox today. DCO is in charge of issuing work permits, prisoner visiting permits, permits for medical treatment in Israel and so on. I don't know for sure, but it seems that for most of their problems that has anything to do with Israel or IDF, Palestinians would come to DCO for help.

I was quite sure that these guys are mostly leftists and pro-Palestinians, but I was wrong. At least not those 3 guys. They shouted and threatened, turning cars around.

There was a taxi car parked at the side of the road. Me and Or went to check the car. The taxi driver said that his car keys were taken by the officer after he tried to bypass the cars that were ahead of him in line. Or told him he'd talk to the officer, but he started checking other cars instead. I told him: "Let's go and talk to the officer." He replied: "Are you kidding? You really thought I meant what I said? Let him wait there."

Only after 3 hours one of the DCO guys gave Ron (a different commander, who replaced Kogan) the keys and said: "You can either give him back the keys or you can make him wait longer. It's your call." After we had checked another car, I told him we should give him the keys, that he's waiting there for over 3 hours. We checked his car and Ron gave him back the keys.

Many cars and trucks were waiting in line, each with his own reasons and excuses. While you stand there checking these vehicles, you get to hear hundreds of original stories, yet you must follow orders and give passage only to vehicles with humanitarian aid. They keep arguing with you, which is quite reasonable - they've been waiting in line just to be turned back? and some of them really need to get to Hebron.

After a dozen of arguments you still have to control your patience for there's a dozen more coming ahead. "A trailer has been wrecked in a traffic accident, we need to get there fast!" "I have chicks in my truck, they barely have any air, they would die if they're not delivered on time."

For a while there, we had to check all the 3 roads of this junction. I tried to make sure that all roads will be checked equally. Ambulances and international vehicles were checked immediately. Ron checked cars thoroughly, checking every possible hole in the car, beneath the rugs, the side doors, everything! It's not a bad thing, but if you think about it - you can check a car for an hour, there're so many places where you could hide things.

There was one Israeli-Arab who said he's a collaborator. They let him pass. He informs IDF of any planned attacks, gives away names of Palestinians involved in illegal acts against Israel, etc.

Many Palestinians and international workers from UN, TIPH and other organizations were looking at us with hatred in their eyes. It surely wasn't pleasant.

Although I normally smile quite often, I was rarely able to smile while I was checking vehicles and documents, surrounded by a lot of unhappy-looking people.

After 3 hours, we were replaced in the pillbox. I arrived at the base. Everything is so calm in here.

Angel will come home tomorrow. She said that she got a serious tan in Croatia. Even though I don't really care about that, it somehow got me worried. I like it when girls have a bright, white skin. I don't know why, but most Israeli girls - those who have a dark, brown skin are not my type. Maybe it's because I'm pretty white myself. I hope she didn't get tanned that much.

Man, I can't wait to see her already! It's going to be such a heaven! My Angel... Soon.... Very soon...