Today when I was leaving work, I heard the word "smoke" and saw some students looking to the sky and pointing.
High up, over the school building, in the direction of Ramallah, we could see a tiny image of a helicopter and grey smoke coming out of it. I figured that it was too small for my camera to do justice, though maybe I underestimated its zoom. So I don't have any pictures.
The students told me that the junior high had been warned about problems with the Arabs tomorrow. All I knew was that, Baruch Hashem, Shiloh is not so close to any Arab city. The old road to Beit El passed by the refugee camp from the north and went straight through Ramallah-El Bireh to the south. There's an Israeli Army Base on the other side of Beit El, and the firing range is just across from the elementary school, right near the main bus stop. Maybe people who live there have gotten used to the sound of gun fire, but over the 24 years I've been visiting and 9 years I've been working in Beit El, I find it unnerving.
When I got home and turned on the computer, I found out about what I had witnessed.
Here are three early reports:
One Soldier Lightly Injured in Ramallah 18:59 Jan 04, '07 / 14 Tevet 5767
(IsraelNN.com) One IDF soldier was lightly wounded in fierce battles against terrorists in Ramallah late Thursday afternoon. Four terrorists were killed in the battle, which began when soldiers met resistance after they surrounded the house where a terrorist was hiding.
Caterpillar bulldozers and an Air Force helicopter armed with machine guns were called in to back up the ground troops, who arrested four terrorists in the house.
Mubarak condemns Israeli raid in Ramallah
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak firmly condemned Israel's raid into the Palestinian territories on Thursday as he met with Premier Ehud Olmert to revive the long-stalled Mideast peace process, Egypt's news agency said.
Ramallah: 4 civilians killed by IDF
During operation to locate wanted Palestinians, special IDF force surrounds building in Ramallah. One wanted man manages to escape after being injured by IDF, four others arrested. Intense battle rages between Palestinians, soldiers in city. Four Palestinians killed, 18 others wounded. IDF soldier very lightly wounded. President Abbas condemns army raid
2 comments:
Interesting to see how the INN and the AP see things. The AP is definitely seeing things from a very pro-palestinian position. Twits!
By the way, Jack, of Jack's Shack, sent me here! Nice to meetcha!
I don't trust the media.
And welcome; visit again.
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