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Another Week of War – The Unseen Casualties
by Israel HighWay Staff

The Hizballah war continues. The toll of Israeli military and civilian dead passed the 100 mark as more than 3000 rockets have fallen on Israel since the start of the war. The Israeli Defense Force is expanding its operations in southern Lebanon in order to push the missile launchers out of range of Israel’s northern towns. Lebanese civilians continue to suffer as the IDF seeks out the terrorists and their weaponry hidden among the civilian population. Lies and fake photos are circulated by the media to smear Israel. And the United Nations is attempting to hammer out a ceasefire agreement that will include the dispatch of international troops to southern Lebanon.

The front pages of Israel’s newspapers are filled with pictures taken a few months ago of smiling young men in uniform or families celebrating weddings. Those photos now accompany obituaries and portray the last fond memories families will have of their loved ones. Beyond the victims are many other casualties of the war - the grieving families who must try to rebuild their shattered lives; the wounded who must go through long and painful recuperation and rehabilitation; the Israeli economy, including the tourist industry; the once-green landscape of Israel; and lastly, the trust in the media that has often slandered Israel.

Issue of the Week is continued below

Left or Right, Israelis Support War by Steven Erlanger

As Israel’s war with Hizballah finishes a fourth difficult week, domestic criticism of its prosecution is growing. Yet there is a paradoxical effect as well: the harder the war has been, the more the public wants it to proceed. The criticism is not that the war is going on, but that it is going poorly. The public wants the army to hit Hizballah harder, so it will not threaten Israel again.

Abroad, Israel is criticized for having overreacted and for causing disproportionate damage to Lebanon and its civilian population and even for indiscriminate bombing. But within Israel, the sense is nearly universal that this war is a matter of survival, not choice, and its legitimacy is unquestioned. (New York Times)

Yeshiva-Army Partnership by Hillel Fendel

A new study initiative is taking hold of many yeshivot, enabling every yeshiva student to dedicate himself to the success of a specific soldier fighting on the front. Project "Safra VeSayfa" - literally, book and sword, or study and warfare - was formed for the express purpose of linking individual yeshiva students with specific IDF soldiers. The student "adopts" the soldier by studying Torah in his name and praying for his safety.

Soldiers who are interested in having yeshiva students study and pray for them and their families, and students in Israel or around the world who wish to dedicate their studies to this purpose, are invited to send their names to: safravesayfa@email.com. (Israel National News)

Israelis Confront "New Kind of War" by Molly Moore

Hizballah's unguided and relatively unsophisticated missiles have left one of the world's best-equipped armies unable to defend its citizens. With 150 to 200 missiles landing almost daily in northern Israel, the country's primary defense has been to clear citizens from the region or send them into shelters. The relentless and indiscriminant rocket attacks -- which increased despite Israeli air and ground wars against Hizballah in Lebanon -- have undermined the country's faith in both military and political leaders and are likely to force major shifts in Israeli military strategy and tactics. (Washington Post)

Iranian President: Destroy Israel

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said last week the solution to the Middle East crisis was to destroy Israel, Iranian state-media reported. In a speech during an emergency meeting of Muslim leaders in Malaysia, Ahmadinejad also called for an immediate cease-fire to end the fighting between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hizballah. "Although the main solution is for the elimination of the Zionist regime, at this stage an immediate ceasefire must be implemented," Ahmadinejad said. (AP/CNN)

NY Firemen Come to Reinforce Israeli Forces by Max Kitaj

Eleven New York firefighters put their lives on hold this week and paid their way to Jerusalem, where they have been volunteering in a number of understaffed stations.

Because of rocket-caused fires in the North, fire stations elsewhere started sending units to help, leaving places like Jerusalem in need of more personnel.

Nathan Rothschild, commissioner of the Monsey fire district in New York's Rockland County, who planned the whole trip, said 22 more firemen would be coming to Israel next week to replace firemen in other parts of the country. (Jerusalem Post)

North Texas Doctors Pledge to Help Israel by Carol Cavazos

Ed Goodman has a thriving practice, but the doctor of infectious diseases is ready to leave for Israel, on a moment's notice, to help eradicate terrorism. "I'm ready to go. All I got to do is pack my bag," said Dr. Goodman. Dr. Goodman is part of a North Texas Emergency Response Team that has trained in Israel and pledged to return to help should Israeli doctors get called to the front. He'll work at Western Galilee Hospital, bombed this week when a Katyusha missile landed on the fourth floor. Doctors had already moved patients to the basement. (WFAA)

The Kids of Summer 2006 - Volunteers from Abroad
by Yocheved Miriam Russo

43 Young Judaea teenagers spent the day sprucing up a women's center in one of Beersheba's neediest neighborhoods. Outside, another crew cleared brush, dug holes and planted bushes in the large backyard, making it more welcoming for the women and their children who depend on this center for just about everything. How did teenagers from Palo Alto and South Bend end up doing hard labor in Beersheba? They're taking part in what has become a summer tradition for many Jewish U.S. teens - traveling to Israel to volunteer to do whatever is needed. (Jerusalem Post)

Camp Ramah Hosting Youths Who've Lost Family in Mideast
by Tony Biasotti

At first glance, Camp Ramah looks like any other summer camp. Tucked into the hills just north of Ojai, it's filled with kids hiking through the woods, singing around the campfire, swimming and waiting in line to call Mom.

But there are differences. First, there's the heavy iron gate at the entrance and the rather stern gatekeeper. As the kids get closer, it becomes clear that many of them aren't speaking English. Welcome to Camp Moreshet.

"Moreshet" means "legacy" in Hebrew, and it's the name of a small portion of Camp Ramah. There are 30 children here from Israel from ages 11 to 13. All of them have had either a parent or a sibling killed while serving in their country's military, the Israeli Defense Forces.

The campers say they haven't worried at all about their families back home. They've been too busy meeting the American children at Camp Ramah and enjoying the quintessentially American experience of a sleep-away summer camp. (Ventura County Star)

Staying Power by Lydia Aisenberg

Groups of Jewish youths from Europe and North America on summer tour of Israel are helping to boost the morale of many an Israeli as they travel around the central and southern areas of the country. The energetic bands of mostly teenage Brits, Americans and Canadians on Israel tour with schools and youth movements have brought smiles to the faces of local folk worried that the security situation would cause the visitors to scurry for home.

Buses assigned to the British Federation of Zionist Youth (FZY), which sends the largest number of British teens to Israel, sported banners proudly proclaiming yet "ANOTHER FZY GROUP IN ISRAEL."

"We have 470 youngsters here at the moment, and only three sets of parents demanded that their children return home," said Michael Freeman, FZY director in Israel.

The organizations have displayed great creativity in building suitable programs for their groups when most are restricted from traveling north. (Jerusalem Post)

Israeli Teens to Share Stories by Javier C. Hernandez

In her hometown of Yesod Hamaala, song birds are drowned out by the symphonic boom of nearby bombing. A constant drizzle of Hizballah rockets falls across the region, inching ever closer to Avia's humble two-story home. The carefree immortality of youth has left this bubbly 17-year-old Israeli forever. "Life isn't normal anymore," Avia said.

Last week, Avia set foot on safer ground at the San Francisco International Airport, 7,000 miles away from the ravaged land where she was raised. Over the next week, she, along with 17 other students from Israel, will join a group of local Jewish student leaders to share the diaries of their war-torn lives.

The Bay Area students had initially planned to journey to the Middle East to meet with the students, but the recent conflict between Hezbollah and Israel caused the trip to be postponed. So the leaders of the Diller Teen Fellows - sponsored by the Jewish Community Federation - and its Israeli counterpart, the Manhigut Esreh, decided to bring a bit of Israel to the Bay Area. Over the next week, the students will live together and participate in several community events. (Mercury News)

For N.J. Schechter Grads Sharing a Jerusalem Flat, It's "the Real World" by Gil Hoffman

Taking seven bright teenagers and putting them in a dilapidated Jerusalem apartment for the summer during a time of war in Israel may sound like the premise of a reality show. But for Matthew Kandel, Zachary Bier, Jeremy Siegman, David Grossman, Matthew Ring, Lauren Walzer, and Dara Yaskil, it’s "the real world."

The seven students, all graduates of Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union, first came to Israel together on an inspiring class trip in advance of their graduation in 2005 and vowed to return the next summer. They went their separate ways to colleges across America but this summer, they kept their promise. (N.J. Jewish News)

Our Families Will Prevail by Jon Medved

While it may seem strange to feel at war while living in the eerily peaceful atmosphere of Jerusalem, seemingly far removed from the daily barrage of murderous missiles raining down on Israel's north all it takes is a quick glance around our neighborhood shul to know that yes, our families are fighting for their very lives. With so many of our shul's sons and daughters in the thick of the fight: this war is our war.

In front of me, Bob's two boys are missing from their regular shul seats and are sitting instead inside their tanks. Steve's son is a commando, Asher's son is in Field Intelligence, David's daughter is training soldiers, and Howie's son Eli has emerged as one of this War's first heroes. Eli, a lieutenant in the Paratroopers, managed to pick up a hand grenade that was thrown at him and a wounded comrade, and then throw it back at two Hizballah terrorists killing them both.

And herein lies a great secret of why we fight. Because our army is our kids, and Jewish kids will not be kidnapped and slaughtered ever again without having hell to pay. (Israel21c)

A Matter of Timing by Mortimer B. Zuckerman

The American public understands what the war between Israel and Hizballah is about and what it is not about. It is not about territories; it is not about occupation; it is not about an effort by poor, oppressed Palestinians to get Israel out of their land; it is not about a two-state solution. What it is about is the fate of the democratic State of Israel, which was attacked, once again, by enemies dedicated to its destruction. No fewer than 83% of Americans say Israel is justified in its military action, while fully 76% disapprove of Hizballah's attacks on Israel, according to a Gallup poll. A CNN poll found some 57% are sympathetic to Israel, while only 4% are sympathetic to Hizballah. (U.S. News)

Hizballah, Iran, and Syria - Not Israel - Are Flouting International Law by Orde F. Kittrie

At Qana, Israeli aircraft fired toward a building to stop Hizballah from shooting rockets at its cities. The aircraft did not deliberately target civilians; but Hizballah rockets are targeted at civilians, a clear war crime. If Hizballah used Lebanese civilians in Qana as "human shields," then Hizballah, not Israel, is legally responsible for their deaths.

Hizballah and Iran - which provides this terrorist group with arms, direction, and over $100 million a year - are in continual violation of international law. Hizballah began the armed conflict with rocket attacks on Israeli towns and the abduction of Israeli soldiers: unprovoked acts of war violating an internationally recognized border. Israel's responses to the threats to its existence have been remarkably restrained rather than disproportionately violent.

The writer, a professor of international law at Arizona State University, served in the Office of the Legal Adviser at the U.S. State Department. (Wall Street Journal)

Another Casualty: The Grieving Families

Until this week, most of the soldiers killed in the fighting were young, single men or officers with young wives and small children such as Major Ro'i Klein. According to his soldiers, Klein, 31, said the Shema prayer as he jumped on a Hizballah grenade during the course of a battle, giving his life to protect his soldiers. He leaves a wife and two small sons.

As the fighting escalated and Israel required more troops, it mobilized its army reserves. The veterans called back into service are usually 23-40 years old. Most of the fallen milluimnikim (reservists) were husbands and fathers.

The Friends of the IDF (FIDF) provides assistance to soldiers at the front, maintains rest and recreation facilities for them when they leave the front, as well as clubrooms and fitness rooms at IDF bases. One of FIDF most important tasks, however, is to provide support and stress-free vacations for the widows and orphans of the fallen soldiers. Children of bar- and bat-mitzvah age who have lost brothers or fathers are invited every summer to a camp in the United States. Click here to see more about the camps.

What you can do: Organize a fundraising project for FIDF.

Victim: The Wounded

Injured Israelis across the north are quickly treated and rushed to hospitals by the Magen David Adom ambulances. MDA has 750 ambulances on active duty and has taken care of nearly 1,300 wounded people in northern Israel since Hizballah began its attacks. Soldiers severely wounded in Lebanon are often flown by helicopter to one of the most battle-tested hospitals in the world, Rambam Hospital in Haifa. Since rocket attacks against Haifa also threaten the hospital, patients have been moved into lower floor shelters.

Sergeant Or Bar-Or’s legs were blown off when his tank was hit by a rocket in Lebanon. After a difficult rescue, he was brought to Rambam where doctors saved his life. Or (with guitar) continues to recuperate at Rambam.

When he’s well enough Or and hundreds of other wounded soldiers and civilians will undergo therapy and rehabilitation at a medical center such as the Loewenstein Center, Israel largest rehab facility.

FIDF also has a program for wounded soldiers.

What you can do: Go the hospital and MDA websites to get more information on the challenges the wounded face.

Another Casualty: The Economy

Many of Israel’s northern industries have been hit by missiles or have closed until the hostilities are over and employees can safely come to work. Companies are not filling orders, workers are not earning paychecks, reconstruction costs will run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. The Galilee’s abundant crop of plums, peaches, and other fruits went unpicked and rotted on the trees.

No industry was hit as hard as the north’s tourist industry. During the summer months Israelis flock to the north to swim in the Kinneret, hike in the Carmel hills, or enjoy the beaches of Nahariya. With the outbreak of hostilities, tourism just stopped - certainly in the north, but foreign tourists also cancelled their visits to all of Israel. Imagine the damage to the hotels, tour guides, museums, cab drivers, florists, caterers, souvenir stores, and their employees.

Many youth groups and community solidarity missions continue to come to Israel, but they barely make a dent. A creative proposal could help save the tourist industry. The concept: Pay now and come later.

What you can do: Even if you can't travel to Israel now, you can help the tourism industry through the Galilee Spirit Virtual Tourism Project.

Galilee Spirit The Conference of Presidents and Israel's Ministry of Tourism have partnered to launch a unique, innovative program to assist the tourism industry in Israel's northern region, which has suffered greatly as a result of the barrage of missiles fired by Hizballah terrorists. By assuring a stream of current income, hoteliers will be able to sustain their businesses, pay employees and suppliers, and be able to reopen as soon as possible. Reserve and pay now for nights in eastern, central, or western Galilee hotels, guesthouses, and bed and breakfasts. Receive a voucher that can be redeemed until June 30, 2007. Vouchers are transferable to friends and family and may be used on any available non-holiday weekday. Two price categories, kosher accommodations available. El Al Israel Airlines in the U.S. provides a $100 discount coupon for future flights upon presentation of Galilee Spirit voucher. Call toll free 1-800-738-0548 or click on: www.hofesh-latzafon.co.il. Galilee Spirit program continues through August 31.

Another Casualty: The Forests

One of the most severely wounded targets in northern Israel has been the region’s natural resources, especially the forests. An estimated half million trees have been destroyed in fires started by the Katyushas. Thousands of acres of farmland and pastures have been damaged. The Los Angeles Times described the desperate fight against the fires: "The relentlessness of the attacks, and that they often come in clusters, means firefighters often have to juggle several calls at a time. No sooner have they raced to one blaze than the radio crackles with a fresh report. 'One day I had 22 fires at the same time,' said Danny Hanania, fire chief for northern Israel, a district that covers about 500,000 acres."

"The damage that has been caused to the green spaces in the North is tremendous... it will take the forests 50 to 60 years to reach the state they were in before the fighting" said Dr. Omri Boneh, director of the Jewish National Fund's northern region. The JNF's firefighters have the responsibility to battle the blazes destroying the forests. The Jewish National Fund (JNF)needs emergency response vehicles, fire trucks, fire-retardant chemicals, bulletproof vests and helmets for the firefighters. The JNF has launched its "Operation Security Blanket" to provide summer camps to keep the children of the north out of harm's way.

What you can do: Start a JNF tree-planting drive.

Another Casualty: The Truth

Throughout its history, Israel has been the target of relentless propaganda and lies. Arab states and their leaders have never hesitated to accuse Israel of massacres or wild plots. Remember how many Arabs claimed that Israel was behind the 9/11 crashes at the World Trade Center? The lies continue. Earlier this week, the Lebanese Prime Minister cried as he told the world that 40 civilians were massacred in an Israeli bombing raid. The truth later admitted by Lebanese authorities: one person died.

Frustrating for Israel's friends has been the western media's speed at picking up, broadcasting and amplifying these lies. Last week, however, keen-eyed bloggers caught Reuters, one of the largest news agencies in the world, publishing distorted, doctored photographs by one of their Lebanese photographers. One picture showed an Israeli plane firing three missiles. Actually, the original picture showed a plane firing one defensive flare. The photographer was fired and some 900 photos he submitted to the news agency were being recalled. (Israel HighWay)

What you can do: Subscribe to media watchdogs who guard against media distortion and lies – Honest Reporting or CAMERA – The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America.

See also:

* Reuters Withdraws Photographer's pictures (Reuters/Yahoo)

* New York Times Used Fraudulent Photo (Ynet News)

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