When the phone rings, they don't think twice about it • Tens of thousands of reservists leave their families behind and make their way to Gaza invasion preparation sites in southern Israel in record time • "We will carry out any mission we are given."
Itzik Saban and Gadi Golan
Mortar instructor Nili Kunstock meets her friend Avihai at a reservists' gathering area.
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Photo credit: Dudu Grunshpan | |||||
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As preparations for a possible ground assault in Gaza continued over the weekend, thousands of reservists, some of whom participated in Operation Cast Lead in 2008-9 made their way to their preassigned gathering areas in the south. Long lines of private civilian vehicles and buses, alongside tank and armored vehicle trailers, jeeps and hundreds of water, fuel and armament supply trucks instilled a feeling of an imminent invasion throughout the south.
With the drafting of their reserve units, soldiers once again donned their uniforms, helmets and identification tags and greeted their comrades. In southern military bases and draft centers morale was high, and almost all of those who were called up made it to their designated areas in record time.
Some reservists, who are residents of the south, left behind families still under the threat of Palestinian rockets. David Frankel and Maxim David, residents of Ashdod, received the phone call on Friday evening and hurried to their assembly points.
"We all left behind wives and children," Frankel told Israel Hayom. "We have suffered the rockets for the past 12 years. It's unfortunate that they allowed them to continue firing them at Israel and even to reach Tel Aviv. It is intolerable. Our motivation is sky high and we will carry out any mission we are given."
For Avi Levi and Yishai Yefet, it was not the first time they arrived at their assembly point together. They were also called to duty during Operation Cast Lead.
"It looks like a bigger operation this time. Everything was prepared quickly," Levi said. "Of course my wife cried, but I calmed her down. There is always motivation and when they call us to arms, we come to serve."
"We have been together since 2001. The idea is not to think about whether this is justified, but to receive the orders and fulfill them," Yefet said.
Michael Dvorin, a Jerusalem attorney who is married with four children, received the phone call at midnight on Friday.
"There is a good feeling about us finally being able to do what is necessary. It is heart-warming to see the brotherhood and friendship among the citizens," Dvorin said. When asked about the feelings at home, Dvorin said, "My wife is used to this. We had to go during Operation Defensive Shield in 2002, Operation Cast Lead in 2008 and now."
"My wife is from Ashkelon and although she supports a ground assault, it is difficult for her that I will participate in it. But we have to do our duty," said Shai Hamami, from Bnei Brak.
"Despite everything, the feeling is good. I left a wife, a five-year-old son and a six-month-old baby in our protected room at home. They understand the need to restore security in the south," said Shimon Hillel, of Beersheba.
Yuval Shmuel, Hillel's friend from Dimona, said, "We came with motivation to contribute to the country without thinking twice about it."
Nir Sodovsky, married with two children from Rishon Lezion, admitted fear of the unknown and said, "It's a bit frightening to enter the mess when you have two children at home, whom I know I will miss. The war is justified, but the moment I became a father, everything changed for me.”
Hagai Asulin of Omer, a town near Beersheba, married and a father of four, said, "As a resident of the south I am opposed to bloodshed, but because there is no one to talk to on the other side and they continue to bombard us, I knew that as soon as I was called up for service, I would go happily. They too have families on the other side, but there is no choice."
Nili Kunstock, a physical fitness instructor in Beersheba, was also called up for emergency reserve duty. Kunstock, who is a mortar instructor in the IDF, said, "I was called for emergency service. It was a bit unnerving, but my overall motivation is high."
Yohai Cohen of Givatayim was called up on Friday night and made his way to his base near Beersheba. "We left our homes, families, places of work and urgent matters to do our reserve duty," he said. "We are happy to serve and our motivation is high. The south is our home and we were drafted to protect our home."
Dozens of fresh reservists arrived at their bases on Friday carrying their personal belongings. Most were smiling and in good spirits, some even anxious to participate in the operation.
"We arrived to take part in an operation of unprecedented significance," said Dror Shapira, 34, of Jerusalem. "In Jerusalem it is difficult to fathom the suffering experienced by residents of the south, but I have friends who live near the border and I do not envy them. I am not the boasting type and most soldiers in my unit have families and are opinionated, but I believe that this time around we will hit them hard, once and for all."
Quite a few reservists who arrived at their bases donned skullcaps. Some were from settlements in Judea and Samaria. Shlomo Hacohen, 38, of Kiryat Arba, said that although the draft came at an inconvenient time for him he did not hesitate to show up for service.
"There is no question whatsoever of convenience," he said. "I know from experience that an emergency order is only issued when the country must defend itself and despite personal difficulties — and I have a wife, four children and elderly parents whom I have to take care of, and I received the order on Friday [the Sabbath eve] — I came here without a second thought."
“The hell experienced by those who live near the border and in the south should have ended a long time ago,” Hacohen said. “The terrorists are firing at them constantly and mercilessly, and they have no problem targeting elderly people and children. I am here with my friends to support the residents. I only have one prayer: that this nightmare will end for them and we will end the ground invasion, if we are ordered to conduct one, with none of our soldiers or citizens wounded or killed."
