Gaza & the Golan Heights

Its been a while since we've updated the Israel Blog because, well, we don't live there anymore. But my position as the J5 Israel Desk Officer has taken me back to the land of milk and honey three times already this year, and I thought that this last trip was worth sharing. I was with a small delegation of US officers visiting for 2 days for some strategic talks, and I saw things in Israel that I've never had the opportunity to see in my 2 years living there. Specifically, we were taken on an IDF-led tour of areas near Gaza and the to the Golan Heights, and the sights were impressive.

Above is Maj Gen Steven Shepro, another Olmsted Scholar now on the Joint Staff, looking out towards Gaza. We were briefed on the tactical details of the recent 50-day conflict between Hamas and Israel. This was the longest conflict Israel has been in since their War of Independence in 1948.

Above: We saw a small kibbutz (Nir Oz) less than 2 miles from the Gaza border. This is inside a gan (kindergarden) that was hit with a mortar round. Fortunately, the building was empty when the shell impacted. The Iron Dome system is incredibly effective against rockets, but there is no answer for mortar rounds which have a much shorter range.

Next we moved to less than a kilometer from the fence where we saw the actual HAMAS offensive tunnel that was discovered on the Israel side of the border. Several things were notable with this starting with a) the depth -  we went down what felt like 5 or 6 stories down (some tunnels exceed 30M deep; and b) the fortification - it was reinforced with cement roof & walls, and had phone and power cables.

Note the cables running along the Left and right side of the tunnels. Some of these passages discovered were equipped with motorcycles intended to facilitate the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier.

Above: BG Avi Peled shows how wet the soil is at this depth. HAMAS diggers had to use the tunnels because they would collapse and kill the diggers, who are thought to be conscripted labor. Over 30 tunnels were located and destroyed, but there is no surefire way to know if they are all accounted for.

Next, we took a flight to the Golan Heights on an Israeli Air Force Blackhawk Helicopter. The flight path took us directly over the Old City of Jerusalem, which was amazing to see from the air.
Not too shabby for my first helo-ride since survival training.

The Dome of the rock as seen from about 500 ft altitude. This is the very spot where the first and second temples were built, and the traditional sight of where Abraham took his son Isaac to sacrifice him. It was amazing to circle around the Old City and see all this history from a panoramic perspective. I'm also glad that I didn't drop my i-phone.

In the Western Golan we heard an intelligence briefing on the situation along the Israel-Syrian border. Southern Syria is a constantly changing landscape of different groups from rebels, to al Nusra Front (al Quaeda affiliate in Syria), to the UNDOF observers that are tasked to monitor the border. Israeli soldiers describe the situation in Syria as "50 shades of black".  The Assad regime is fighting groups ranging from the Moderate Rebels of the Free Syrian Army, to the Islamist Rebels who wants a Syria under a Califate, to Global Jihad and al Nusra Front. And none of these guys are ISIL, by the way, who are primarily operating in the Syrian Northeast and Western Iraq. In short, it's an incredibly fluid situation on the Syrian side, & the Israelis want the fighting to stay on the other side of the border.

During the briefing on the current situation on the Syria, we could hear Howlitzer and mortar fire in the distance coming from the Assad regime in Damascus toward rebels in Kunetra.

BG John Shapland examines the IDF Tavor rifle--demonstrating the imminent danger of giving AF pilots live firearms.

Time to go home back to DOV Airport in Tel Aviv...via blackhawk.

Left to Right: Maj Tom Renner (US Embassy TA); IDF soldier- (?); LTC Richard Hecht; CAPT Rome Ruiz (EUCOM ISrael Desk); me; Maj Ben Shaha (EUCOM Israel desk)

This IDF tour was a valuable experience. Many thanks to LTC Richard Hecht & BG Avi Peled for setting up such an informative look at the pressing security challenges of their country. Because I deal with Israelis and Israel issues every day in my job at the Pentagon, I sometimes lose sight of the fact that their neighborhood is quite different from our own. However, seeing the an unstable border in the Golan and crawling through tunnels in Gaza was a sober reminder of the fact that the reality for Israelis, Palestinians, and everyone living in their region is a far cry from what we know here in America. It is important not to lose sight of those differences.

Shalom Ya'll,
Stew

10 Things we'll miss about Israel...

 It is hard to believe that our time in Israel is over. It was such an amazing experience, and 2 years was just not enough time. Thankfully, we still have much to show & tell of our adventures, so we will be continuing to blog until the best stories have been told and the best pictures have been shared. So here are the ‘Top 10 things we’ll miss about Israel':

1. The Food - So fresh, so tasty, and so healthy. I never thought I’d use my grill for eggplant more than meat, but that was the case.

2. The Weather- sunny & 75 – 80 for 10 months of the year.
    Seriously...What’s not to like about that?

3. Jaffa

What a wonderful place--great for Friday afternoon strolls through the market or getting some seafood down at the port. It's also where I learned to play Choro Brazilian music. Here we are in front of of Dr Shakshuka, Yummmm.

4. The Garden Tomb--A must-see for any visitor to Jerusalem. This is, in my opinion, the antidote to the the over-churched crowded feel of the Old City. I am convinced that this is the the actual spot where they crucified Christ and laid his body. Lucky for the owner of this tomb, Jesus didn't really need it, he just had to borrow it for the weekend.

5. Driving in Israel- Where else do you get lessons on parking on the sidewalk, or offers to buy your car from the guy next to you at a stoplight (no kidding, this happened to me 3 times alone during the last week in country). Yolanda-the-Honda always kept it real--although she straight died when we left. Probably from a broken heart.

6. Jewish Holidays- Lots of food, family, and usually some guilt. Always a good time...and always lively conversation.

  
Lydia & I enjoy a Pesach meal with our friends the Rans, & Will gets ready for Shavuot.

7. Ein Gedi- An oasis by the Dead Sea, complete with wildlife & waterfalls. We loved this place, and loved taking people there to hike around and explore.

This area is also right on the Dead Sea, and next to the beautiful kibbutz of Ein Gedi. Much fun to be had there...

8. Caesarea - Another great spot full of history, great beaches, places to eat, and even Roman aqueducts. Pretty awesome place, and another one of our favorite places to take visitors. Even went scuba-diving on 2,000-year old ruins form the time of king Herod

9. Jerusalem Old City- This place is fascinating, and tense. Being there is like walking through living history. It's an experience unto itself.

10. Camels - Never thought we'd see so many camels. Our kids have more hours on camels than horses. Who knew?!?

Finally, for all those interested in a wonderfully written blog on those little things about Israel that make it such a unique and memorable place, please read here: http://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-little-things-ill-miss-about-israel/ . 
Anyone who has ever lived in there will completely understand...

Shalom Ya'll,

Stew & E

Nazareth Village & Mt Tabor

Clearly we've been running out of steam on blogging since moving back to the states, but there are a few remaining adventures that we never got around to sharing. These are 2 memories we had at interesting places in Israel when family came to visit.

1) NAZARETH  VILLAGE- This is a quiet place in the bustling town of Nazareth where people can see what life was like in the time of Christ. We visited in November 2012 when my Dad and brother Mike were visiting, just before all the commotion in Gaza. Everyone enjoyed the tour and we recommend it for anyone going to visit the Holy Land - Nazareth Village 

We saw demos on the tools of carpentry in the first century from super-friendly, costumed Arab Christians. It was fascinating to see the kind of workshop that Jesus worked in before he began his ministry.

This is the exterior of an average first century synagogue. The inside was plain. I was impressed by this little building because it was ordinary, in contrast to the myriad of churches and shrines that are found all over the Holy sites of Israel. This place may be a bit touristy, aimed at Christian pilgrims to the holy land, but at least they were striving for an air of historical authenticity.

 This was a typical Tora scroll--nothing fancy. Jesus read from something similar to this when he entered the temple in Nazareth and read from the scroll of Isaiah (Luke 4:16-30) and said that 'these words have been fulfilled in your hearing.' After he spoke to the crowd, they tried to kill him for blaspheme. I'll never read this story the same way again. The real weight of this passage never hit me until sitting there and considering the fact that Christ told his family and friends that he was essentially God. 

I was glad that we were able to share experience with Mike & my Dad. It was a good day.
We even got to see a mechanical, mule-powered olive press making oil. Mike loved it...

2) MOUNT TABOR- The second adventure was with my little sister Katie, back in December of 2012. She and I both graduated from Mt Tabor High School in Winston-Salem (as did all the Welch kids & Elizabeth), so we though it would be fun to visit the real Mt Tabor and climb it. 

 

Found it! Spartan Pride---WHOOP WHOOP! Class of 96...Class of 00...Represent!!!

Mount Tabor is a few miles northeast of Nazareth, and it is the traditional site of Jesus's transfiguration (Matt 17:1-11). This may look like a little hill in the picture, but believe me that sucker is steep! We decided to drive to the top and I'm glad that we did...I'm surprised that Yolanda-the-Honda made it up there, frankly. At the top we were greeted by amazing views, and of course, a monastery.

It was a pretty on the inside, but the views from the grounds were even better.

 Katie never seems to take a bad picture. The wind is catching her sweater in the one above...

We walked around and explored a while on the trails, stopping for a picture here & there.
It was a great day just hanging out with my little sister.

In addition to the great scenery and wonderful weather, we enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the sea of Galilee on the drive home. 

Its memories like these that make me nostalgic about our time in Israel. But we're also glad to be back in the company of family & friends in the good old US of A.

Shalom Ya'll,
Stew