An homage to the people of the South

More than a year of war has passed. Hostages are still languishing in the tunnels in Gaza, but through the current deal Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher have been released on Sunday, in exchange for many Palestinian prisoners. It is a heavy price to pay, but since October 7^th we knew that Hamas had an extremely valuable bargaining chip in hand. Furthermore, we have been treated once again to the “heroes” of Hamas, now all of a sudden parading around in military fatigues with AK-47s above ground, all captured and glorified by their mouthpiece Al Jazeera. Nonetheless, all of the hostages need to come home, too many have perished in captivity already.

Israel is a country with problems, it is in this sense not different from any others. There are issues here – political, social, economic – but it is also a unique country. The only Jewish and – still – democratic state in the world. While many in the region would love to see this country destroyed in a blaze of fire – Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, and others – it is a hope cherished by quite a number of extremists in the West as well, both on the Right and Left. Yet, it is a country like any other, too. A place where people try to live their lives as best they can, forge friendships, raise families, and have a yearning to live in peace. I had come to volunteer in Israel through a Masa program in January 2024, to volunteer for six weeks. In this period I was based in Tel Aviv, part of a group of roughly sixty volunteers from all over the world, and we offered assistance to farmers and spent time distributing aid. For weeks we tried to help Israelis as best we could and every time gratitude was expressed, even though we did not do much. When I returned to the Netherlands in March, it was difficult to leave the country behind. I always say that I have to leave home, so I can come home.

As the war was progressing into the summer, I realized that an end to the fighting was nowhere near. On the contrary, tensions on the northern front kept escalating, Houthi attacks were a regular feature, and even drone attacks from Shia militias in Iraq – loyal to Iran – kept the country on alert. During the summer I realized I wished to come back to volunteer and so I decided to save up my vacation days. In August, I started looking for other volunteering opportunities and Masa offered the option to volunteer in the South for six weeks with Magen David Adom (MDA). Having no prior experience in healthcare, except as a patient for many years, I welcomed this possibility and applied. I was approved and after submitting the necessary documents, I decided to take six weeks off work and flew to Israel in December of last year.

A small group of volunteers this time, 15 in total, we were based in Beer Sheva. The program consisted of a two-week course, after which we could call ourselves EMRs. Then, we would go on shifts in the South, accompanying ambulance crews and helping out as much as we could. I had never been to the South before, unless I would count a short stay in Eilat as a child on a family vacation. Beer Sheva was a nice city. Very different from Tel Aviv, with its endless skyscrapers – many of them still being developed as I am writing this – and its continuous hustle and bustle. Beer Sheva is a busy city too, yet different as well. It is more tranquil and you can still find many houses that contain two or more storeys. It is also a city that was on the frontline in October 7^th. The city’s massive hospital, Soroka Medical Center, was continuously receiving victims from Hamas’ onslaught. Several MDA medics shared with me what they had experienced on that dreadful day: the long hours they had to work, colleagues that were murdered as they tried to help the injured, and their own families who suffered from post-traumatic illness. People were very open and willing to share their stories, something I appreciated deeply.

The South is a beautiful part of Israel and as a volunteer, I was sent to work shifts at stations in Beer Sheva, Arad, and Ofakim. The latter two are small cities. In Arad I volunteered during four night shifts in a row, a small city east of Beer Sheva and thus closer to the Dead Sea. Due to its desert climate, Arad can become very cold at night. The MDA station is small and contains fewer medics than Beer Sheva, but it is a close-knit group, which in many ways interacts like a family. Ofakim is rather similar, a small station with fewer volunteers. Another detail is that Ofakim was attacked on October 7^th, a city roughly 30 minutes west of Beer Sheva by car. When you walk into the station, you are immediately confronted with pictures of the station’s medics, such as Aharon Haimov and Amit Mann, who were murdered on duty on that dreadful Saturday. However, Ofakim is a city that is being rapidly expanded, too. Entire new neighborhoods have been built and cranes positioned to build apartment complexes dot the city’s landscape. If there are two words that apply to much of Israel, it is these: “under construction.” Of course, in the Netherlands new buildings arise as well. But the feverish pace of development in Israel is truly fascinating.

The people of the South have suffered a lot, since October 7th. When visiting Sderot with other volunteers, we stopped at the memorial for the city’s police station. This city, in particular, has suffered from countless rocket attacks throughout the years. In addition, Sderot has a vantage point that provides a view of Gaza. When visiting this location, it made me think of the soldiers risking their lives there on a daily basis. I thought of the hostages who were so close, yet so far away. And, yes, you see the destruction of the Strip and think about Gazan families being displaced because of the fighting. Thinking of this does not mean that I ignore Hamas’ culpability. On the contrary, Hamas has shown its murderous intent towards Israelis, but also exhibited that its government has led Gaza on a road to destruction and despair. Realizing and mentioning that there are Gazans suffering shows our humanity, it shows that we are different from the likes of Hamas and Hezbollah.

Also, the South is home to several Bedouin communities, such as Segev Shalom, Tel Sheva, Kuseife, Hura, and Rahat. On one day, I decided to pay the last one a short visit, so I took a bus from Beer Sheva and went there. I know that Rahat is the biggest Bedouin city in Israel and perhaps even the world. As I wandered around for roughly two hours, it was interesting to realize that I was probably one of the few Jews, if not the only one, walking the streets of this city in Israel at that moment. While Rahat is usually featured in the news in a negative sense – poverty, crime – I enjoyed the atmosphere very much. Not for a moment did I feel unsafe and as I was sitting at a rotunda in the afternoon, sipping from a water bottle, the muezzin’s call to prayer could be heard. Rahat is home to several mosques and it was very special to hear the calls to prayer coming from all corners of the city and filling the air. Rahat is a city that has suffered from October 7^th as well, as just last week it had to mourn the deaths of two members of the Ziyadne family, who had died in captivity in Gaza. I ended my visit by having some kebabs for lunch in a restaurant, recommended to me by a few elderly patrons who assured me I would like it – they were right.

This opportunity to volunteer with MDA and live in the South for a month and a half has been very valuable to me. The Negev is a beautiful region, I will definitely return in the future. In addition, I would like to mention the wonderful people working for MDA as well. With all of its problems and issues, Israel is a beautiful country, home to great people. At MDA you will find medics and paramedics of all walks of life, every day working together, saving lives and offering much-needed support and comfort to patients and their loved ones. Here, you find religious and secular Jews, men and women, young and old, Jews and Arabs, all working together, showcasing the beautiful mosaic that Israel is. I have had the pleasure of getting to know many of them, working with them on shifts, learning from them, and offering some humble assistance where I could. In addition, the people of MDA expressed gratitude when they heard that we had come from abroad to volunteer. While grateful, it embarrassed me a little as well. I offered support on shifts but, in my opinion, had not done much. But it shows the warm spirit of the people working for MDA – who truly do amazing work – that they take the time to thank the volunteers for coming. Therefore, I would like to thank Dani, Rafi, Barak, Shahar, Boris, Masha, Ahmad, Ramzi, Ziyad, Ayelet, Yazid, Yair, Said, Avi, Hiam, Eliezer, Sharif, Khoury, Rina, Shalom, Ahmed, and all the other volunteers for everything they have done and continue to do for the patients and their families. The work you do and the lives you save is truly inspiring, it was a humbling experience to meet you, work with you, and learn from you during my short stay.

And to all the people of the South I have met, whether in Beer Sheva, Arad, Ofakim, Rahat, Sderot or anywhere else, I would like to say this:

شكرا / תודה רבה / Bedankt / Thank you