Watching A War

Why is it that every time I move to Israel there’s a war?

I mean really, you would think they could keep it together for a month. Last time I moved there was August 2000. I got a good two and a half weeks to adjust before the Intifada started last time. Now Lebanon had to go crazy again?

Anyway, I spent yesterday’s fast working. I didn’t get hungry, but started getting dizzy towards the end of the day. I was constantly calling vendors and leaving messages, but for some reason not getting any response. The I get home and check my machine…

BEEEEP - “… Uh, Ephraim? Yeah, this is Bob from Acme Valve Corp calling you back.”

Turns out I was so punchy at work that I was giving out my home phone number for them to call me back when I left them messages. The funny part is my home message has a Hebrew greeting on it, so these guys were really thrown off.

Spent some time reading Israeli papers, watching videos of burning buildings and homes in the North, wishing I were there to help out in some way. Hang on guys, I’ll be there soon. I swung by some coworkers’ offices and had to explain what’s happening there and why.

Spent the rest of the day reading Lebanese bloggers rapidly posting and updating as Israel systematically knocked off buildings, bridges, and airports as if they were stepping on ants.

As a Jew and future Israeli citizen, I understand the need to immolate the country. If Israel doesn’t, then Israel will get it back ten times worse than it’s giving right now.

As an engineer, I see this as an unmitigated and tragic destruction. Such beautiful infrastructure is being reduced to rubble, and far worse is to come. Just wait until the ground invasion.


As a human being, I feel badly for the middle class Lebanese who were too frightened and weak to take control of their country before something like this happened. Despite the hatred many express for Israel and Jews, most of the bloggers I’m reading understand on some level that this would not be happening had Hizbullah not attacked Israel. Perhaps something good will come of this if they some day see that they have more to lose by passively standing on the sidelines as their country becomes a terrorist playground than they do by disarming Hizbullah. But the only way to demonstrate that fact is by making them lose big time now.

UPDATE 10:02 AM: Israeli Jets Blast Beirut Building Believed Housing Hezbollah Chief

Ooooooh, this is just too good to be true. Nasrallah isn't that stupid, is he?