Life
Sunday - 05.01.2003
Familiar pictures flash across my TV set. A cameraman trying once again to capture the unimaginable crime scene, and have no doubt, this is a crime scene.
The cameraman is trying to help us figure it out, help us capture the essence of life that's been stolen.
Two young men leave their homes, their families. They travel to Tel Aviv, Israel's most happening city. They target the easiest place for them to elude the army and police, and slide between the people unnoticed. Once there, they blow the 15 KG of dynamite that's strapped onto them.
15 Kilos of dynamite on each of them, mixed with screws & bolts in order to intensify the explosion.
They kill 23 people & injure more then 100.
The area in which this murderous act occurred is mostly populated by foreign workers, and although this is not the first time foreign worker are hurt/killed in terror attacks, this caused difficulty as the injured workers were afraid to be taken to the hospitals for fear of being detained.
Can you imagine yourself in a foreign country where you don't speak the language? Injured. Terrified. Announcements were made in English through the media in order to assist them. But I doubt that it helped these innocent people much. They just wanted to work, and send money home to their families.
I watch on TV as the news broadcasters try to comprehend what's going on, you can feel the fear, the panic, and the resigned tone. The unasked question, when will this end?
Just the other night I had the fortunate opportunity to meet with American students, editors of their college newspapers.
They made me realize quiet a few things, some of which are:
- People today care less and less about what is going on outside of their lives. If it is not a directly affecting them, why take any interest? We all have our own problems right?
- The American public does not realize that Sadam is not their biggest enemy, that by attacking him, the war they think is so far away from home, may bring itself right up to their doorstep, one way or another.
Now it's morning and after a night filled with horrific nightmares, the news is hard to hear. Now begins the stress-filled wait for the names of the murdered to be announced.
I go to work (in Sherut Leumi - National Service). Life does not stop.
I hear my coworkers talk. One says: "What is the end?" and the other answers: "there is no end".
I don't think any other words are needed to describe the hopelessness we've accepted as part of our reality. I wish it on no one.
And so I must again ask, talk about us.
Talk about the dozens upon dozens of lives and families destroyed by terrorism. In Israel and beyond. Don't wait for your bubble of life to pop, step out and act for others.
We talk news all the time, whatever the hot topic is. Make us a part of your day if only for 10 minuets. Help and salvation come in all shapes and forms.
Kate Deutsch
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