Nationalism and the Politics of Fear in Israel by Cathrine Thorleifsson

Author:Cathrine Thorleifsson [Thorleifsson, Cathrine]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
ISBN: 9781780767505
Barnesnoble:
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Published: 2015-07-31T00:00:00+00:00

National unity during war

The Israeli government said the need to defend its citizens in Sderot was the motive for launching aerial and ground attacks on Gaza on 27 December 2008, the first major Israeli military offensive since the Second Lebanon War in 2006. The towns bordering Gaza had for a long time been the target of rocket fire and the Minister of Defence, Ehud Barak, stated that IDF was ready to implement tough measures against Hamas.

During wartime, a heightened sense of national unity was felt nationally and in the town and residents invested more emotional energy in the symbols of nationhood.21

Both individuals and representatives from the municipality decorated the town with banners with slogans such as ‘We are all IDF’ and ‘We love Tzahal’ (Hebrew acronym for the IDF) idealising the warrior image of the soldiers and boosting their morale. Blue and white Israeli flags were flown on balconies, streets and in social media profiles. Chief Rabbi Drori held a public prayer for soldiers serving in Gaza. Members of the Yeshivat Hesder moved their prayer ceremonies from the synagogue to the public city square so that residents could join the congregation in public.

I knew that there was a chance that Kiryat Shemona could be the target of rockets, especially after the massive Israeli military attack on Gaza. Early on the morning of 14 January 2009, I was awakened by the siren alert for incoming rockets, the tzeva adom (red code). Although I had prepared myself for a ‘situation under fire’, I had conflicted feelings about the situation I found myself in. I was in Kiryat Shemona as a civilian and now I felt the fear and anxiety that my informants had talked about so many times. Understanding that it was a serious situation, I stayed in my bedroom, which was the fortified room of the house. It was built from solid concrete, but gave a false promise of protection. The room was dark except from the dim light that overflowed from the combined kitchen and living room. Shortly after the siren I heard the large sound of rockets followed by distant explosions. I pressed my forehead against the tiny window to see if I could see anything. I heard a voice calling from outside and someone knocking at the door. It was Rahamim who said that I could no longer stay in my flat but that I had to evacuate to their basement, which served as the bomb shelter. We waited for a period of silence and then ran to their house. Rahamim rushed over to Esther, who had anxiety coursing through her body and face and tried to calm her down. Their neighbour from upstairs had already joined them. The floor was covered with rugs and a green plant was placed in the corner. It was clear that they had spent time in this room before. Esther looked at me and said upsettingly: ‘You see, you never know with those Arabs!’ Esther and Rahamim were curious to know my reaction and they sought sympathy for their attitude.

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