One of Those "Oh MY" Posts

A French-Israeli man from Sderot is demanding that the European Union shoulder the cost of making his home rocket-proof, in a precedent-setting lawsuit against the EU which the man intends to file tomorrow in Brussels.

In the lawsuit, which will be filed to the European Commission, petitioner Eyal Katorza cites Article 3.5 of the European Treaty, which states the Union will "contribute to the protection of its citizens" regardless of their whereabouts.

And What Are You Doing On Sunday?

Here's an idea from my friend Avi Abelow:

Join thousands of people worldwide on Sunday, January 4th in watching online the movie QASSAM, the powerful movie about people in Sderot, and share in their experiences over the past 8 years!.

This event is a virtual event - The Qassam movie will be available for viewing online all day Sunday, the 4th.

See the trailer here:

Only those who order a virtual movie ticket will receive directions via email on how to access and view the movie.

Order your virtual movie ticket today.

Your virtual movie ticket helps support organizations that support the people of Israel…and in particular the residents of the Southern communities most affected by rocket barrages.

Please invite everyone you know to participate in this online event and help lift the spirits of those in their time of need.

They Keep Killing the Dead in Sderot

The cemetery in Sderot got hit again.

Go, Sderot, Go

Seventy residents of Sderot and other towns bordering the Gaza Strip, filed an unprecedented lawsuit against the Israeli Defense Minister in the Jerusalem District Court. The plaintiffs are demanding that the IDF immediately utilizes the "Nautilus" laser guided, anti-missile system as a defense against Palestinian rocket attacks; "Failing to station the system – forfeiting residents' lives"

The lawsuit, which names Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Ehud Barak as defendants, alleges that the "Nautilus" system has the ability to intercept the short-range terrorist rockets in mid-air. To date, the IDF has not found an effective response to the daily Palestinian rocket barrages targeting Sderot's civilian population. The residents contend that the failure to utilize the currently available and inexpensive "Nautilus" systems is gross negligence on the government and IDF's part. They claim the government is not protecting their impoverished city as they would the more affluent Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

The residents are demanding, moreover, that the IDF employ the fully operational "Skyguard" system (based upon the "Nautilus" technology), to ensure that in a two years period at the latest, there is a complete solution for the rocket threat to the entire Sderot-Ashkelon region.

Why not Foreign Minster Tzipi Livni, too?

Numbers

The Cabinet approved a plan to reinforce residential units, via the construction of 9 sq. meter protected spaces, in a range of up to 4.5 kilometers from the fence around the Gaza Strip. This range was set in light of the need to protect the forward line that is exposed to fire and given the planned capability of the Iron Dome system, which is due to be operational and in place during 2010.

The Cabinet approved a NIS 327 million budget for implementing the first stage of the plan in Sderot, Nir Am, Gabim, Erez, Ibim, Zikim, Netiv Ha'asara, Nahal Oz, Kerem Shalom, Kisufim, Mefalsim and Kramiya. The Construction and Housing Ministry will have overall responsibility for the plan, which is to be completed during the first quarter of 2009.

There are approximately 8,000 residential units within 4.5 kilometers of the fence around the Gaza Strip that currently lack protected spaces and which were built prior to 1992, when legislation requiring their construction in all new housing units came into effect.

The Face of Sderot

Source.

Sderot Rocket Attack

A Slight Rewording

A Slight Rewording of PM Ehud Olmert's statement last week:-

Dear Citizens of Sderot,

We are aware that you have recently been experiencing some difficulties of a ballistic nature. At this time, however, we have decided that protecting the lives of you and your children would impose an unwelcome burden upon State resources. Accordingly, we are advising you to fend for yourselves until such time as we may change our minds,

Sincerely,

The Zionist Dream

c/o Ehud Olmert

P.S. Underground shelters are reputed to provide a good level of protection against surface-to-surface missiles. Please feel free to dig some.

To Sderot for Shabbat

The Yesha Council, Sderot Municipality, the Sderot Hesder yeshiva and other institutions are sponsoring a solidarity - "Raise the Flag" - Shabbat in Sderot.

In Case You Were Looking for Me

Just in case you were looking for me, I was on a two-day field study trip in the framework of my MA studies at Hebrew University.

We went to Nitzan to talk and meet with the evacuated from Neveh Dekalim. To Sderot and to a Beduin "non-recognized" settlement.

And we had lunch at the T'nuvah-li dairy restaurant in Sderot.




And here's the view of Gaza from the western edge of Sderot:



No Kasams were fired during our tour.