Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., April 17, 2008 Nisan 12, 5768 | | Israel Time: 10:49 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 07:51 17/04/2008 Kibbutz Be'eri residents ask: War, what war? It's 8 kilometers away By Fadi Eyadat, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Israel, Be'eri, tourism  "Hello, Erez! How's it going there? I heard on the news there's a war," thundered a worried voice from the speaker of Erez Manor's cellular phone. Manor is director of the La Medavesh ("the pedaler") bicycle center at Kibbutz Be'eri. "What are you talking about? It's 8 kilometers away from here. It's in El Bureij [a refugee camp in the Gaza Strip]," Manor said, trying to calm down his caller. "Good. I'll speak to you ... I need to hang up," the voice from the phone said. "That was a doctor from [Be'er Sheva's] Soroka Hospital," Manor said after the call ended. "This weekend we are having a bicycle [competition] from the Southern Workplaces League here. He must have seen the wounded and dead from this morning's incident." T Advertisement he telephone call is the best example of the lives of operators of tourism and recreational facilities and other businesses in the communities surrounding the Gaza Strip. Every time a Qassam rocket falls on the kibbutz, farmers are shot at - or as Manor tried to explain - soldiers are killed 8 kilometers away, the army and the media choose, arbitrarily, one of the neighboring kibbutzim to provide a perspective. Then all the tourists and vacationers flee and Manor is forced to contend with an empty business. "When the name of your community is mentioned in the press it costs you money," said Avivit John of Be'eri - and she certainly was not referring to advertising. Earlier Wednesday morning the incident between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian terrorists ended with three soldiers killed and six Palestinian militants dead. The incident was accompanied by mortar rounds fired at the Israeli communities, and after weeks of relative quiet the residents of Be'eri were woken up by shelling, tank and machine gun fire. "It was a feeling of war," said John. "I jumped from the 'booms' in the middle of the night, it was louder than what we hear every once in a while. In the morning we woke up and we started to ask each other what happened? Is there a war?" "We don't watch the news with the children, even though they live it live. We don't want to scare them," she said. Despite John's attempts to protect her 4-year old daughter Gili from the harsh reality, a few days ago she watched her and a friend playing "Color Red," the code for a warning of a rocket attack. "One called out Color Red and and the other screamed 'mommy' and then they threw rocks. Then they calmed each other down, saying there was an attack." Four years ago Manor established his bicycle business. It includes a bicycle store, a cafeteria, bike paths and more. Due to the security situation his business has dropped 50 percent. Today most customers are experienced riders who come alone. Families and children prefer to ride elsewhere, despite the beautiful bike paths among golden wheat fields, windmills, eucalyptus trees and ammunition warehouses - relics from British army's stay during World War II. Manor said he did not what would happen during the upcoming Passover holiday - perhaps a few religious people would come. "They aren't afraid like the non-religious are," Manor said. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Breaking with the ZOA Is Harvard University's Progressive Jewish Alliance inciting against Israel? Rising in the polls New survey finds Nasrallah is the most admired leader in the Arab world.

Read & React Report: Assad says Syria preparing for possible war with Israel Responses: 7 Ari Shavit: Israel should offer Hamas Gaza Islamic state for demilitarization Send response Palestinians: IDF troops kill two in West Bank raid Responses: 4 Shmuel Rosner: The only goal of Carter's work is to undermine Israel Send response Rosner's Domain Let the debate begin: what's a "pro-Israeli" position? A lot more on the J Street project (WTR) Poll: Were you convinced that America should stay in Iraq? AIPAC trial is waiting for Mr. Leonard (WTR) More Headlines 09:53 Report: Assad says Syria preparing for possible war with Israel 09:44 Palestinians: IDF troops kill two in West Bank raid 09:03 PM: Iran will not be nuclear 10:40 Militants fire Katyusha, several Qassams at western Negev 08:32 Peres to declare reconciliation between secular and Haredim 07:45 Home of Bedouin soldier killed in action slated for demolition 07:32 China: Int'l talks on Iran end with 'some' agreement on incentives 07:58 Suspicion: Rival cantor hatched scheme to seduce Great Synagogue colleague 09:50 Supreme Court ruling raises questions on definition of battered wife 07:51 Kibbutz Be'eri residents ask: War, what war? It's 8 kilometers away Previous Editions Select Day 16 apr 15 apr 14 apr 13 apr 11 apr 10 apr 09 apr 08 apr 07 apr 06 apr 04 apr 03 apr

Special Offers Advertisement Learn Hebrew online with Israel's best teachers Sign up for a trial lesson today NEW! Dan Boutique Jerusalem Hotel Hip Dan Hotel in Jerusalem. Attractive Introductory Rates Pardes Institute Summer Sessions Study Jewish texts and issues in Jerusalem, Co-ed, All Levels Free the Palestinians from: Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved