Twenty Thousand Mourn Lone American Israeli Soldier
Funeral of American Nissim Sean Carmeli. (July 21, 2014 Photo by Rami Shllush) |
That is a staggering figure to Israelis. Proportionally, given the relative size of the American and Israeli populations, it would be like Americans waking up to headlines reporting that nearly 500 U.S. soldiers were killed in one battle.
While much attention has been focused on the threat from rockets, it is becoming increasingly clear that there is a growing danger presented by the complex of "terror tunnels." Israel has discovered dozens of these incredibly sophisticated tunnels, reinforced with concrete and some dug as deep as 100 feet.
Many originate in apartment buildings, some open up underneath mosques. One senior Israeli military official described the tunnels as "almost entirely hidden on the surface and as elaborate as a labyrinth." This weekend's fighting was especially fierce because the area involved is believed to be a nexus of the tunnel complex, and Hamas is desperate to protect it.
Hamas fighters have used the tunnels to ambush and, if they can, kidnap Israeli soldiers. Many experts fear that Hamas really intends to use the tunnels to launch "Mumbai-style" terror attacks inside Israel. (In 2008, 10 Pakistani jihadists killed 164 people during a bloody rampage across Mumbai, India.)
Israeli forces thwarted at least two such tunnel attacks today. Separate reports indicate that seven Israeli soldiers were killed.
It's worth reminding readers that Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, uprooting thousands of Jewish families in the process, even relocating Jewish graves. In exchange, Israel did not get peace. Instead, Hamas seized control of Gaza and turned it into a launching pad for more terror attacks.
As mentioned previously, two of the Israeli soldiers killed in the recent fighting were also U.S. citizens. One of them, First Sgt. Nissim Sean Carmeli, was known as a "lone soldier," a reference to Israeli soldiers whose family members live outside of Israel. In Sgt. Carmeli's case, his parents live in Texas.
Sgt. Carmeli was laid to rest yesterday. According to one report, Carmeli was a "huge fan" of the Maccabi Haifa soccer team. Realizing Carmeli's status as a lone soldier, the team reportedly posted a message on its Facebook page urging fans to attend his burial "so that his funeral wouldn't be deserted."
What happened next should warm the heart of every American: A reported 20,000 Israeli mourners showed up to pay their last respects to this young Jewish American soldier.
What more do you need to know about the two sides in this conflict?
My friends, after the horrific atrocity of 9/11, Palestinians rushed into the streets of Gaza and the West Bank to celebrate the mass murder of thousands of Americans. Israelis lowered their flag and wept with us.
Israel and the United States are bound together by history and culture. Our nations share a common bond of justice and belief in the virtues of Western Civilization. And we face a common enemy in the evil of radical Islamism, which is today stoking the fires of anti-Semitism and war.
That is why I will always "Stand With Israel!"
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Gary Bauer is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families
Tags: Israel, thousands mourn, American, Israeli soldier, killed, Hamas tunnels, Nissim Sean Carmeli, Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
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