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| In bustling Tel Aviv, Israelis feel strain of war | |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Sitting in the shade in the leafy park that takes up most of Tel Aviv's Sderot Ben Gurion, Nir Kalfen and Gilad Woltsovich, both 32, epitomise most of what the world thinks about the impact of 10 days of war on the bulk of Israeli cities. | Sitting in the shade in the leafy park that takes up most of Tel Aviv's Sderot Ben Gurion, Nir Kalfen and Gilad Woltsovich, both 32, epitomise most of what the world thinks about the impact of 10 days of war on the bulk of Israeli cities. |
| The cafes dotted at each intersection are packed with young people. The street is bustling with joggers and dog-walkers. The contrast with the other side of Israel's war – destroyed buildings and grieving families in Gaza – is striking. | The cafes dotted at each intersection are packed with young people. The street is bustling with joggers and dog-walkers. The contrast with the other side of Israel's war – destroyed buildings and grieving families in Gaza – is striking. |
| But Kalfen, who served in the Israeli Defence Forces for three years during the second intifada and saw 13 of friends killed, harbours no illusions about the reality of war in Gaza, where he served as a young soldier. "I know how it feels to be inside a tank in some of those places," he recalls. | But Kalfen, who served in the Israeli Defence Forces for three years during the second intifada and saw 13 of friends killed, harbours no illusions about the reality of war in Gaza, where he served as a young soldier. "I know how it feels to be inside a tank in some of those places," he recalls. |
| Tel Aviv is not always this peaceful. Last week shrapnel fell a couple of blocks from where Kalfen, a graphic designer, now sits with his friend. A barrage of rockets from Gaza was intercepted over the city only this morning, the shrapnel of one crashing through the roof of a home in a poor district in south Tel Aviv. | Tel Aviv is not always this peaceful. Last week shrapnel fell a couple of blocks from where Kalfen, a graphic designer, now sits with his friend. A barrage of rockets from Gaza was intercepted over the city only this morning, the shrapnel of one crashing through the roof of a home in a poor district in south Tel Aviv. |
| On Tuesday, 37-year-old Dror Chanin became the first Israeli casualty of the conflict. Chanin, a volunteer who was delivering food to Israeli soldiers near the border with Gaza, was killed by a fragment of mortar fire from Gaza near the Erez border crossing. | On Tuesday, 37-year-old Dror Chanin became the first Israeli casualty of the conflict. Chanin, a volunteer who was delivering food to Israeli soldiers near the border with Gaza, was killed by a fragment of mortar fire from Gaza near the Erez border crossing. |
| "Everyone has something to say about what we are doing wrong. But they are not hearing the sirens, running to the shelters or looking after their kids when they wake up shouting in the night," Kalfen says. | "Everyone has something to say about what we are doing wrong. But they are not hearing the sirens, running to the shelters or looking after their kids when they wake up shouting in the night," Kalfen says. |
| His friend Woltsovich stresses that it is only because of Israel's US-funded multibillion-dollar Iron Dome missile defence system that Tel Avivis are able to continue their lives largely unmolested by rockets from Gaza. According to the Israeli military, Palestinian militants have fired 1,248 rockets at Israel since 8 July – approximately 145 a day. | His friend Woltsovich stresses that it is only because of Israel's US-funded multibillion-dollar Iron Dome missile defence system that Tel Avivis are able to continue their lives largely unmolested by rockets from Gaza. According to the Israeli military, Palestinian militants have fired 1,248 rockets at Israel since 8 July – approximately 145 a day. |
| It was not so long ago, during the first intifada, that terrorist attacks were common here and in most other Israeli cities. "My girlfriend's uncle was killed in a terrorist attack in Haifa in 2001. The whole family was in shock – they still are," Woltsovich says. | It was not so long ago, during the first intifada, that terrorist attacks were common here and in most other Israeli cities. "My girlfriend's uncle was killed in a terrorist attack in Haifa in 2001. The whole family was in shock – they still are," Woltsovich says. |
| Both men shrug when asked about the attempts to secure a ceasefire this week – a deal that has been rejected by Hamas. Woltsovich says he appreciates Binyamin Netanyahu's restraint from launching a ground invasion, even though as a leftwinger he is generally a critic of the Israeli prime minister. | Both men shrug when asked about the attempts to secure a ceasefire this week – a deal that has been rejected by Hamas. Woltsovich says he appreciates Binyamin Netanyahu's restraint from launching a ground invasion, even though as a leftwinger he is generally a critic of the Israeli prime minister. |
| Kalfen is more negative: "I give up. I don't read the newspapers any more, I don't care about any of it." | Kalfen is more negative: "I give up. I don't read the newspapers any more, I don't care about any of it." |
| There has been little polling of Israeli opinion since the conflict in Gaza began 10 days ago. Alon Lee-Green, 26, a bookshop owner and peace activist, says that generally in wartime the Israeli left struggles to make its point heard. | There has been little polling of Israeli opinion since the conflict in Gaza began 10 days ago. Alon Lee-Green, 26, a bookshop owner and peace activist, says that generally in wartime the Israeli left struggles to make its point heard. |
| He has attended multiple protests in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem in recent days, but says numbers are far lower than during the 2012 war in Gaza. "The problem is that on the one hand we are not allowed by the army to gather more than 500 people together when there are missiles and sirens, but on the other we also feel a bit lost over [whether] we call a big crowd of people together while there is a danger of an alarm," he says. | He has attended multiple protests in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Jerusalem in recent days, but says numbers are far lower than during the 2012 war in Gaza. "The problem is that on the one hand we are not allowed by the army to gather more than 500 people together when there are missiles and sirens, but on the other we also feel a bit lost over [whether] we call a big crowd of people together while there is a danger of an alarm," he says. |
| Lee-Green does not consider the rockets themselves to be a danger to protesters, but acknowledges a risk of panic if a siren should sound when a rally is taking place. A peace protest on Saturday night in Tel Aviv was eventually called off, with only a handful of protesters turning out. | Lee-Green does not consider the rockets themselves to be a danger to protesters, but acknowledges a risk of panic if a siren should sound when a rally is taking place. A peace protest on Saturday night in Tel Aviv was eventually called off, with only a handful of protesters turning out. |
| That protest achieved some notoriety in Israel after it was attacked by a gang of rightwingers who beat a number of young peace activists after police left the demonstration to find shelter when a siren sounded. In Jerusalem, too, peace campaigners have been attacked by gangs of rightwing counter-protesters. | That protest achieved some notoriety in Israel after it was attacked by a gang of rightwingers who beat a number of young peace activists after police left the demonstration to find shelter when a siren sounded. In Jerusalem, too, peace campaigners have been attacked by gangs of rightwing counter-protesters. |
| In a video being circulated on social media, an American Jew is seen being pushed and later arrested by an Israeli police officer after attending a pro-Palestinian protest outside Jerusalem's Old City. Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said the teenager was acting in a provocative manner and had been asked to leave the area. He said he did not know if a complaint had been made against the officer or whether there would be an investigation into his actions. | In a video being circulated on social media, an American Jew is seen being pushed and later arrested by an Israeli police officer after attending a pro-Palestinian protest outside Jerusalem's Old City. Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said the teenager was acting in a provocative manner and had been asked to leave the area. He said he did not know if a complaint had been made against the officer or whether there would be an investigation into his actions. |
| On the beachfront near Tel Aviv's Allenby Street, a 67-year-old ex-soldier sitting drinking Corona says Israel is ready to make peace but does not have a partner in the Palestinians. Until it does, says the man, who declines to give his name, the war is likely to continue. | On the beachfront near Tel Aviv's Allenby Street, a 67-year-old ex-soldier sitting drinking Corona says Israel is ready to make peace but does not have a partner in the Palestinians. Until it does, says the man, who declines to give his name, the war is likely to continue. |
| "The problem with these groups – Hamas, Hezbollah – is that they say they want peace but what they really want is to push us into the sea," he says. "You give them Gaza and tomorrow they will be asking for Jaffa." | "The problem with these groups – Hamas, Hezbollah – is that they say they want peace but what they really want is to push us into the sea," he says. "You give them Gaza and tomorrow they will be asking for Jaffa." |