UPDATE FROM THE HEARTLAND

The last couple of months may be compared to a roller coaster.  The zenith of tension was focused on Abbas’s declaration of statehood in the UN and its possibility of renewed violence in Judea and Samaria.

The security apparatus of the Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria went into overdrive to prepare as best they could for any scenario.

The nightmarish possibilities have yet to occur… And yet complacency is already setting in among many in the diaspora who wait to see what will unfold.  On this end the “quiet” was and is unsettling.  We know what is being said. Every day we see the presence of “Palestinian Police" becoming more frequent on our roadways.  IDF commanders continue to have their hands tied as families of murderers pick olives and yell threats of repeated atrocities to the already wounded.

While the pride we feel for the young man and his family gives us strength, the exchange for Gilad Shalit has strengthened Hamas throughout Judea and Samaria.  Politics and diplomacy aside, the reality on the ground is different than what is perceived and shown in the public arena.

Much like the weather, a reported storm may change course, weaken or even dissipate.  In many cases though, there will be another following, sometimes stronger and more destructive than predicted.

In either case, preparations are made, because we know that eventually we will need them, and they will save lives.

That is exactly where One Israel Fund continues to focus our efforts. The lull we are experiencing has been giving us valuable time to continue to assess and fill the needed gaps in our communities.

Maneuvers and exercises that have been taking place have been highly educational and insightful, and we continue to work overtime in preparation for a storm that may come tomorrow, a week from now, or later.

The current Perimeter systems that are operational have been proving their worth daily.  I was privileged to have been in Itamar last week when the system picked up a group of Arabs attempting to damage the fence surrounding the community.  (Here is just one of the examples:http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/148885#.Tp6cj2ASJ6O).

I felt pride as the men in the Command and Control Center directed the Community Security Chief and the IDF to the exact location, to stop the Arabs before any damage occurred. I was also amused as I witnessed (via the monitor screen) Arab confusion as they tried to figure out how they had been “picked up”.  

Pro-Active, not Reactive!

Other communities have been reporting more of the same as other attempted infiltrations, economic and agricultural terror is being stopped.

These systems are taking top priority among the communities in their continued vigilance in the fight against terror.  One Israel Fund is vital in raising the funds needed for, and expediting the completion of, these projects.  It is frustrating to see how many of our friends outside of Israel have put the murders in Itamar behind them thinking "all is quiet because nothing big happened recently." Do we need another tragedy for people to be reminded of our day-to-day challenges? We at One Israel Fund prefer to prevent such reminders from happening.

To borrow a phrase, Magen David Adom has left the building.  As more and more Stars of David are taken off of our ambulances, we can’t but wonder what will come next.  We have been working hand in hand with medical professionals, suppliers and Regional Council Security Directors to keep ourselves up-to-date and up-to-count on being supplied with proper equipment due to pressure from MDA regarding the equipping of Medics, Paramedics, and Doctors.

Two more Command and Control centers have been completed and are now operational, now that we've purchased and distributed needed equipment to survey the outside of communities to stop and prevent terror/ We no longer wish to be “too late”.

Mevuot Yericho just received a needed shelter from OIF to protect the children of their new Kindergarten that lies under the eyes of the “Dayton” base of the “Palestinian” Army. Whereas the IDF and Government said the Kindergarten needed this to operate safely, neither would supply this equipment. This is why One Israel Fund is so important as it works together with others, to protect our people who settle our land.

One Israel Fund will continue to fulfill our mission of filling the lull in essential security, emergency medical and humanitarian aid to our communities and people living in Judea and Samaria, our land, our future.

For those of you that want to be further involved with stopping terror and strengthening our people, and to involve others, I look forward to hearing from you as I plan to be in the US- East Coast from November 10-21.

May we continue to celebrate in Joy and Strength!