Hamas War

Monday, August 25, 2008

Now, I'll Have Nightmares

Davka today, after many months of silence, our television was repaired. Nothing is by chance, according to Chaza"l, our sages. Did G-d really want me to watch that show?

All I did after turning off the computer before going to bed, at least that's what the plan was, was to check if there was TV reception. I had already used the set with the DVD-VCR. I had never set up a TV before and was very proud that I got Israel's Channel One and even fixed the color by playing with the antenna. Then a program started about Disengagement. I was curious and started to watch.

According to the JPost Billboard, it was:
The Real Story:
Emotional Maelstrom-
Looking at the emotional sound the the (sic) Disengagement.


Now, according to that, what do you think there would be? Of course I'll tell you. But first, guess a bit. Whose emotions? Evictees? Soldiers? Police? Outside demonstrators? The country at large?

Look at this picture? Who do you think is in it? What's the family?


No, it isn't an evicted family from Gush Katif or Northern Shomron. It's the policeman, davka a religious guy, and his family, responsible for the evacuation of Gush Katif. The entire aim of the program was to humanize the police and soldiers. It was only about their emotions, what wonderful patriotic, family loving people they are. Yes, we're talking about those who, with such dedication to the State of Israel, had no problem agreeing to destroy the homes and lives of thousands of innocent citizens.


It was a very well-made propaganda film. Music direction was brilliant. He/she/committee used lots of that calming "imagine you're on the beach and the sun is beating down on you, and you feel so mellow" type of music. Even before seeing this piece, I always got riled and antsy at that sort of relaxation session. Now I'll be even worse.

The police and soldiers were told, as the cameras rolled, that when the protesters shouted at them it was just a "brainwashing technique" to try to break them, but since they're well-trained and have each other, they will overcome those miss-informed people. There were lots and lots of cameras filming this, and the Foreign Ministry can't see the connection with Disengagement and Israel's image abroad.

We kept seeing the soldiers and police marching in such force. Why can't they be trained to destroy terrorists? All of that man-power and money to go against law-abiding citizens... and for what? Israel wasn't offered or promised anything in return.

Disengagement was a unilateral move. That's one-sided, no reason, nothing in return. OK, I shouldn't say that. A year later, the Arabs in Gaza and Lebanon went to war against Israel. Is that what Sharon and Olmert planned?



Gush Katif was destroyed for nothing. But emotions like mine and my friends who lost their homes weren't the emotions in the show. We only heard from the destroyers. They were proud to be part of it and sure it would be an important event in Israeli History.

I agree that it will be considered an important historic event, but not a good one. It will be considered one of the most, if not the most, ill-conceived acts of a sovereign power, the self-mutilation of its country. It will be considered the act of a totalitarian ruler. I hope all those involved dream of it day and night. Let it haunt their sleep and lives. Let they be sorry they took part, and may the nightmares only leave when they go to the people and apologize and apologize to G-d.

Let us all ask G-d for forgiveness, since we failed to protect Eretz Yisrael!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

"The entire aim of the program was to humanize the police and soldiers."

cause it's so much more satisfying to demonize them.

Batya said...

Honestly, if I had been prepared for the show I would have recorded it and watched it for information on how the soldiers and police were brainwashed to to the job.

The people who did this documentary lost my professional respect for not giving us enough depth.

They showed the religious police officer asking some female (you can tell by the Hebrew to which sex he was speaking, I didn't hear if it was his wife) to on the phone: "Do you still love me, considering what I'm doing?"

Now I wonder if such a conversation, filmed, was real or acted.

Anonymous said...

They're gonna have to do a danged sight more than just apologize. Talk is cheap. These criminals destroyed people's homes, livelihoods, families, communities -- and by doing so plunged all of us into even greater danger from the murderous Jew-haters.

Batya said...

You're right.

I never thought that post-Holocaust Jews would use the excuse: "I have to follow orders."

Hadassa DeYoung said...

Shalom!
Concerning: "Do you still love me, considering what I'm doing?"
The question may have been real. Some soldiers got into trouble with girlfriends/fiancées for participating in the expulsion. I haven't heard of soldiers having marital problems, but I wouldn't rule it out. Some soldiers were later surprised that women would not date them because they had participated.
Or it may have been an act. Part of the 18 month expulsion preparation involved acting lessons - some soldiers played the role of the expellees and some their future roles of "determined and caring" soldiers carrying out orders of utmost national interest.
Did you read the report that revealed the tricks that the army psychologists used? Big Brother is proud of them, I'm sure.
Hadassa

Batya said...

This show showed some of the training. I just cried at times. It was so upsetting.

Hadassa DeYoung said...

Shalom!
Batya, it gets worse. Now the IDF psychologists speak to any soldiers who regret participating in the expulsion in order to calm their guilt feelings and convince them that they did the right thing. I really don't have much pity for the older officers, but the young ones, the ones who just started their army service, were brainwashed for 18 months and are still brainwashed today, for them I have pity and just hope that G-d gives them enough strength to defy the "experts".
Hadassa

Batya said...

Innocent me. I didn't realize that was the therapy.