This “peace” is fragile.

When Israel decided on a one sided cease fire and withdrew all the troops from Gaza, Ehud Barak, the security minister, said he believed that Israel would have calm for a long time. He did not explain exactly what he meant by a “long time”, but most people thought it reasonable to believe that it would be quiet for at least a year.

The situation, however, is far from peaceful.
Two days ago a soldier was killed and two other wounded, one of them being in critical condition. A bomb had been placed just next to the dividing fence between Gaza and Israel. Four Israeli army trucks were patrolling on the dirt road running alongside the fence when the bomb went of. One of the trucks were hit.
The army immediately checked the area for more bombs and found another three close to the one that exploded.
Hamas has fired rockets into the Mediterranean lately obviously in order to get an idea how far they can reach.
Two Kassam rockets were fired towards Israel this morning.
Hamas has taken control of all the smuggling tunnels left and decide what shall be transported through them.
The “war” between Hamas and Fatah is continuing.

Israel has “answered” by bombing a tunnel with a fuel pipe and by bombing on of the people in charge of placing the bombs by the security fence.
All this is happening just half an hour car ride from where I live.
It seems to me that the news reporters are trying to prepare us for the possibility of another major army operation in the near future.

As I am writing this I watch people working just outside my house. I live in a new neighborhood. Most of the houses in our street have been finished so they have started working on paving the street and preparing the playground right next to my house.
There are about 20 people out there and at least half of them are Arabs.
Some of them are religious. It is easy to know as they get down on their knees to pray at least twice during their working hours.
I have no fear of them. They are regular people who are working to feed and house their families just like the rest of us..
It shouldn’t have to be much more complicated than this.

Elin Elkouby