Ashkelon is a growing costal city. For tourists, it is replete with Roman ruins. In biblical times, the Jewish prophet, Samson, conquered the Philistines nearby. Today, Ashkelon’s new power station provides Hamas – ruled Gaza with approximately 70% of its energy requirements.

Ashkelon is home to over a 100,000 citizens, trying to live their lives in peace.

Instead, the residents live with the ever present threat of Kassam rockets, launched almost daily from Gaza. Take November 14th, when 4 of the 122mm Grad class rockets were launched at the city. One landed in the main shopping centre.

For those who do not know, a rocket is not a sophisticated weapon and cannot be properly directed, unlike a missile. Thus, a rocket’s targets are randomly picked out. Frightening! In fact, it’s downright immoral and disgusting.

There are those who try to explain away the actions of the perpetrators. The weapons are used for defensive purposes only, it is claimed. But Ashkelon has no military structures. Its hospital (which treats Palestinians as well), the academic college, schools, and even the power station itself – they have all been targeted by Palestinian factions.

Others argue that the Palestinians have a legal and moral right to reply to incurssions by the Israeli military into Gaza. OK, but none of that gives Hamas or the Islamic Jihad a mandate to target civilians, aimlessly. 

Check out this link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luiyXA_r2aA It shows Kassam missiles, being fired aimlessly from a school vicinity. If you ask me, the groups responsible for such actions are using politically acceptable spin to cover their own crimes.

I spoke to a leading businessman, who lives in Ashkelon with his family. He explained that an outsider cannot understand what it is like to cope . You may get a few seconds notice, before the “incoming” lands. The proverbial “whoosh” becomes as chilling as the deafening explosive destruction of the final impact. Where did it land? In the neighbour’s garden? The industrial zone? The roof of our local grocery?

Why should they have to live like that?

Ashkelon is under attack. And the world does not care! The UN’s meagre response is to demand that Israel desists from protecting itself against the launchers of terror. Viva Munich and 1938…. only 70 years ago.