Under Fire, part 48

Is this the sound of a cease-fire? After a tense night of waiting for some horrific final barrage (hey, it wasn't just my paranoia—all the news pundits and analysts were saying the same thing!), we wake to a quiet, albeit smoky, morning. I can't wait to get out of the house and take a long walk. After what feels like 33 days of virtual house arrest (apart from my few escapes to the center of the country to conduct training sessions), I feel stir-crazy and jittery. I wonder if my gym will open again by tomorrow. (More to the point, I wonder if I can still fit into my workout clothes...)

Use it or lose it: Yesterday's 250 ketushot fired by Hezbullah at our northern communities was a daily all-time high since the start of the war over a month ago. One person was killed, many wounded, and lots of damage done. We got through the day making bad jokes about boys and their toys, but the most commonly reoccurring thought was that in every war, there is always the first killed and the last killed. I figured that with my luck, I would be the one to get that final ketusha. That thought kept me running to the meimad each time the siren went off, right to the end. And run we did! As yesterday rocket count was a record, so was the number of siren warnings.

The cost of war: The Finance Ministry estimates that this war will end up costing us NIS 23 billion; that's about $5.2 billion (USD), in case you were trying to figure it out in "real" money, as one of my friends grumbles when he gets his NIS (New Israeli Shekel) paycheck. The estimates are as follows:

1. 7 billion = defense spending
2. 5 billion = direct and indirect damage (infrastructure, private homes, etc.)
3. 9 billion = the 1.5% loss in gross domestic product
4. 2 billion = emergency aid to local governments in the north and emergency services

But all of these are just numbers. The impact will be felt by every single person here. Some, residents of the center of the country, may feel an increased tax burden, while others here in the north must face rebuilding their homes, trying to rescue their small business, helping their families cope with the psychological damage, and, for many families, trying to get on with their lives after the loss of a loved one.

Anyone who has had to deal with insurance companies after a car accident or a household loss knows that the red tape can be exhausting, frustrating, and demoralizing. Now, add in the fun dimension of insurance companies claiming that you are not covered for acts of war (check your policy, Bubba!), new government agencies set up to cope, more forms to fill out, more hoops to jump through, and then multiply that by the millions and you will get a general idea of what we are facing in the north. (I'll be delighted to be proven wrong on this one.)

I dearly hope that this will be the last post for Under Fire, and that I can start a new blog thread on a different topic. However, I won't hold my breath.

I want to take this opportunity again to thank everyone who has called, written, emailed, blogged, or just thought of us during this incredibly difficult time. May you all be blessed with peace, health, love, prosperity, and an abundance of plump cats and good chocolate.

Peace out...