Showing posts with label IDF soldier. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IDF soldier. Show all posts

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

An Appeal From an IDF Soldier - Israel Today


An Appeal From an IDF Soldier

Tuesday, July 05, 2016 |  Israel Today Staff
Our favorite IDF Messianic Soldier released this video of an appeal on the back drop of the recent spike in murderous crime!
Watch this video here and help Israel in the fight against online incitement that is flooding the internet!
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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

You saved my soul from death - ISRAEL365

For You saved my soul from death, even my feet from stumbling, to walk before God in the light of life.

PSALMS (56:14)
 

כִּי הִצַּלְתָּ נַפְשִׁי מִמָּוֶת הֲלֹא רַגְלַי מִדֶּחִי לְהִתְהַלֵּךְ לִפְנֵי אֱ-לֹהִים בְּאוֹר הַחַיִּים

תהילים נו:יד


kee hi-TZAL-ta naf-SHEE mi-ma-VET ha-LO rag-LAI mi-de-KHEE l'-hit-ha-LAYKH lif-NAY e-lo-HEEM b'-OR ha-khai-YEEM

Today's Israel Inspiration

King David lived through many difficult times, and his poetic words are eternal and applicable to the many challenges we face in our own lives. An organization named "Karmey Chesed" reaches out to bring the "light of life" to Israelis in desperate need of support. Now it has joined with the IDF to help soldiers in need. "We are providing snacks and easily prepared food to the soldiers, which raises their morale significantly,” said Aryeh Weingarten, founder of Karmey Chesed.  “It’s a great feeling when a soldier receives a care package, and especially in an intense situation like this. It helps them feel that they are important, wanted, and respected.”

10 Minutes About Living on Gaza Border

Give ten minutes of your time to Dana Bar-On, a young woman who speaks from her family's kibbutz in Southern Israel. Last week, a few meters from her home, Hamas terrorists appeared out of a tunnel from Gaza with the intent to massacre her kibbutz.
 

IDF Soldiers' Secret Battle at Home

Upon learning that a particular IDF combat brigade has a number of soldiers who come from low-income families in difficult straights, "Karmey Chesed" jumped right in to help.
 

Hebrew Leather Bracelet

This adjustable and stylish leather bracelet includes a Star of David pendant that says "Israel" in English and Hebrew. Wear it with pride, and at this price, you'll want to grab up a few for your friends!
 

Israel Photo Trivia

Do you know where today's photo byGrace & Rick Knelsen was taken? Send me an email or post your answer onFacebook!
 

Thank You

Please help us continue to spread the beauty and significance of the Land of Israel!
 

“So Grateful for the Updates”

It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365!
 
 
I am so grateful for the updates of what is happening in Israel and for the encouraging words that are shared from Scripture. Thank you for all you do. Sheila Welch in Summerville, South Carolina
Shalom,
Rabbi Tuly Weisz
RabbiTuly@Israel365.com
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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

IDF Soldier Gilad Schalit's Capture, in his own words (Part II)

Gilad Schalit's Capture, in his own words (Part II)

By BEN CASPIT, JPost 
03/30/2013

Former IDF soldier gives military investigators account of attack that led to his capture, deaths of 2 comrades.


Gilad and Noam Schalit reuniting
Gilad and Noam Schalit reuniting Photo: Reuters)
 
On June 25, 2006, IDF Corporal Gilad Schalit was abducted by Palestinian militants from Gaza, who had infiltrated into Israel by tunneling under the border fence. An attack on Schalit's tank led to the deaths of two of the tank crew, and Schalit, frozen in the face of an assault, freely admitted that he had acted in such a way as to facilitate his capture. After more than five years as a hostage in Gaza, Schalit gave IDF investigators an honest and often unflattering recount of the events surrounding the attack. The second part of an exclusive two-part feature.  (For part one, search for "Gilad Schalit in the top right hand corner.)


The use of the hand grenades that were thrown into Gilad Schalit's tank casts doubt on the view that the main goal of the attack was to kidnap a soldier. If the militants had wanted to kidnap a soldier, it is unlikely that they would have thrown a grenade into the tank. They wanted to kill, to cause as much damage as possible and then get away quickly.

Click here to read the original article in Hebrew

Somehow, Schalit survived the grenade blasts and exited the tank. As he left the tank, he saw the terrorist climbing the front of the tank which on the Merkava is referred to as "the knife."

In order to climb, the terrorist needed to use both hands, which meant that his personal weapon - a Kalashnikov - was strapped across his back. At this point, he was in close range, making him an easy target. Schalit, who was sitting on the dome of the tank, where the tank commander has a view of the surrounding area, saw the militant climbing toward him but could not see the second militant on the other side of the tank.

The militant had still not seen Schalit, and Schalit could have easily moved his hand 10 cm to take control of the .50 caliber tank machine gun and shoot him, cutting him to pieces in seconds.
The .50 cal is not a weapon that you would want to have fired at you - its firing speed is lethal, and squeezing the trigger is quick and easy. But that is not what Schalit did; in fact, he did nothing.
It is plausible to assume that if the machine gun had been fired, it would have killed the militant climbing the tank and caused the second man to flee. Even if it had not occurred that way, taking control of the machine gun would still have given Schalit, who was inside the tank with three guns and the main tank cannon at his disposal, a marked advantage over his adversaries.

“You never thought to shoot the terrorist?” Schalit was asked during the investigation.

“No,” he answered, “I was completely confused. I did not think about anything. I was in shock.”

Seconds later the terrorist noticed Schalit at the top of the tank and Schalit shouted to him in Hebrew, “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot.”

The militant realized that Schalit was handing himself over, and leveled his weapon at him. He then shouted at Schalit in Hebrew, “Come with me.” Schalit climbed down from the tank, shaking wildly.
The second militant joined them, the two immediately understanding what a prize had fallen in their laps: a live Israeli soldier who was not fighting back. This was the prize that Hamas had dreamed of for years, and now here it was in front of them.

The three of them, Schalit and his two captors, moved quickly to the Gaza fence. At 5:21 a.m., they blew a hole in the fence and entered a small tunnel underneath. Schalit went with them quickly the entire way, without attempting to slow them down to save time until the second tank or other back up could arrive. He simply went along with them and ran toward the fence.

One of the militants crawled underneath and told Schalit to do the same, the latter complying immediately. The militants told him to move more quickly and he rushed to obey. Afterward, his bullet proof vest was found next to the fence; it appears he took it off in order to move more freely.

After passing under the fence, the three headed deep into the Gaza Strip, with all possible haste. An IDF tank arrived at the scene and at an observation post locked a fix on the three, but permission to fire was not issued. It was still not known that a soldier was being kidnapped. They were already more than a kilometer in Palestinian territory. Finally the tank opened fire, but only with its machine guns.

They did not receive permission to fire heavy weapons, and the machine guns missed their target. Schalit and his captors reached the first line of houses where a tractor was waiting for them. They boarded the tractor, which took them to a car, which in turn took them to another car. On the way, the terrorists stripped Schalit of his army uniform and dressed him in civilian clothing. Schalit was firmly in their hands, and five and a half years of captivity had begun.

Humus and Soccer

Schalit remembers his time in captivity clearly. He was not held in basements and he was not tortured other than slight "annoyances" in his first days of captivity. Though they hit him a bit and tied him to bars, they quickly understood that he was fragile and would die in their hands if they beat him too badly. They did not want him to die, that would have been a catastrophe. At that point, Schalit was the Palestinian people’s greatest asset.

During his captivity he was passed among several Palestinian families around the Gaza Strip. He watched television, listened to the radio and was even occasionally allowed to surf the internet. He heard all of the news reports during “Operation Cast Lead” in winter 2008-9, and watched all of the 2010 World Cup games. He specifically remembers the game he saw when he was moved from one family to another - it was a game featuring Spain, the world champions. All in all, he was treated reasonably.

The main problem was food. There were not many culinary options and Schalit was forced to eat what Gazans eat, which is mainly humus. Understandably he was in a depressed state, which affected his appetite, which in turn caused a dramatic drop in his weight. He did not go on a hunger strike, and indeed never considered the option. One day he ate with a family on their rooftop in Khan Yunis and from their roof he could see the Mediterranean.  Under other circumstances, he could have believed that he was on vacation.

 Schalit communicated with his captors in Hebrew and English, and his guards were changed throughout the duration of his captivity. For the most part, he was guarded by a special squad who worked in shifts. Schalit knew exactly what was happening in Israel; he followed the elections in 2009, and knew what was going on in world events. He was never in danger during “Cast Lead,” though it was suspected that since the operation was an attempt to save him it might anger his captors.

Schalit complied completely with his captors and interrogators at all times, though there was little new information he could provide. The scant details he did know, he told them. When asked, he provided information about Israeli fortifications and the Merkava tank. It was important to him to please them and give them information in order to receive good treatment.

The story of Gilad Schalit is a difficult one, full of failure. It is about the failure of his tank team, of Schalit himself and the lack of intelligence, which was the responsibility of the Shin Bet security service, which had had no success in tracking him for more than five years. Two soldiers died in the initial action, defending Israel. They did not perform their duties as well as possible, but the history of the IDF is full of stories of failure. That is just the way of war.

Schalit may have handed himself over to the militants without putting up a fight, but it is unfair to criticize him. It was a normal, human reaction. I served as a tank commander and I have no idea how I would have acted in the same situation. It is entirely possible that I would have responded just like him.  “Do not judge a man,” it is written, “until you are in his place,” and in this case there is no way to judge him. He has already been judged by spending more than five years in captivity. On the other hand, it is important to know the circumstances behind this terrible event and to learn lessons from it. There will be similar situations in the future and we must hope they will end differently than this one.

Schalit is an introverted young man who is both emotional and fragile. It is likely that he should not have been placed in a tank unit in the first place. Perhaps he simply was not fit for it. When his tank was hit, he went into shock and lost the ability to act. The term "hero", which was given him by IDF Chief Benny Gantz  when Schalit returned to Israel, is misplaced. Brigadier General Avigdor Kahalani, a tank commander in 1967 and 1973, was a hero. Major Roi Klein, who died in the 2006 Lebanon War by jumping on a grenade to save his comrades, was a hero. Lieutenant Colonel Avi Lanir, tortured to death by Syrian soldiers during the Yom Kippur War, was a hero. The history of Israel and the IDF is checkered with many stories of bravery, and Gilad Schalit is far from being among them. He is in a way a type of anti-hero. He was a soldier who was placed in a difficult situation and chose a path of submission. There is no heroism in this story. This story is one of humanity that is both sad and touching.

It is possible that Schalit was never fit to serve as a combat soldier. Still maybe it is the very fact that he served in the tank unit and fulfilled his duty to his country even so that is his badge of honor. Yet after all of this, we cannot forget that there is a state to protect, one that is surrounded by enemies. Israel cannot afford to allow herself too many stories of "bravery" like this.

So what is the lesson of this story? There is no lesson. It is a good thing that Schalit returned home and received a new lease of life, which I am happy about. He is traveling, which is great, but if I were in his stead I would somehow try to take the public adulation and celebrity, and attempt to make a positive contribution - even a symbolic one - for the benefit of Israeli society.
The State of Israel paid a heavy price for his return, one that is hard to swallow. His story will not be included in lessons on combat tradition, and he knows this. There are those that think that this is the beauty of it all, that the lesson to be learnt here is the strength of Israel in its concern for every single soldier, without exceptions, but I am not among them.

On the other hand, there is no doubt that there is no other nation that knows how to invest itself so completely in the safety of each and every soldier. Yet along with the celebrations and joy, there must be some soul-searching on the part of the state, the IDF and Schalit himself.

If I were Schalit, I would devote some of my time and energy to some form of volunteer work that would give back to the state. Something symbolic, that would show thanks to the country that compromised many of its essential interests in order to bring him home, if for no other reason than to feel good. Maybe this will still happen. But first he must enjoy the freedom that he has truly earned. He may not be our hero, but he still is our antihero.

Translated by Amishai Gottlieb.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Israeli Soldier Held In Captivity - Gilad Schalit: I was scared people would forget me

Gilad Schalit: I was scared people would forget me
By JPOST.COM STAFF
10/17/2012

Freed IDF soldier describes his more than 5 years in Hamas captivity, says: State paid the price for me, I will send my kids to IDF.

Gilad Schalit arrives from captivity 
Photo: REUTERS/Handout
 
 
"I was scared people would forget me," freed IDF soldier Gilad Schalit said in his first interview since his release from Hamas captivity, broadcast in full on Wednesday by Channel 10.

Speaking about his more than five years in Gaza, Schalit described everything from his sleeping patterns to his feelings upon release.
"I didn't sleep very well," Schalit said of his captivity. "People were there bothering me. I would wake up in the middle of the night."

He added affably: "But I had plenty of time to make up for sleep in the day."

Describing methods he used to pass the time, Schalit said he used to make up games. "I used to play a lot of games on my own as well. I used to make a ball out of a sock and throw it around all sorts of places, like into a garbage can."

He added that he also drew maps - of the country, of his community and of his favorite places - so he would not forget them.

"I used to write, I used to make lists, I used to follow sport events," he said.

Asked about daylight, Schalit said he was allowed to watch television, but he wasn't allowed outside. "I saw the sun through the TV," he remarked. "I imagined it too."

Schalit was released in exchange for 1,027 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, in accordance with an Egypt-brokered deal.

"The week they told me I was being released felt like an eternity," he said. "I didn't sleep. I slept maybe an hour [that night.]"

Speaking of his release, Schalit said he felt a sense of great "relief" when he crossed into Egypt and that he was disconcerted by the "flurry" of people around him after only seeing a few people for nearly six years.

"I was really tired and slept well," Schalit said of his return home. "Then I wandered around my house."

He added wryly that when he was forced to be interviewed on Egyptian television, the interviewer was the first woman he had seen since being taken captive.

Schalit also said it would be "difficult to send my kids to the IDF. But in the end the State saved me from that place. It fulfilled its part in the prisoner exchange. It paid the price. I will certainly send my kids to the army."

He added: "I hope that they won't have to go, but for now that doesn't seem like an option."

JTA contributed to this report.

http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Gilad-Schalit-I-was-scared-people-would-forget-me