by Elad Kalimi, Deputy Mayor of Sderot, translated by Hillel Fendel.
Motivation in Sderot is high,
but the IDF must continue to press in northern Gaza and clean it out of
terrorists in order to restore security to the residents of Sderot and
environs.
With the re-election of Donald Trump as President of the United States, we
find ourselves in an awkward position, to say the least. Precisely when a real
opportunity is finally about to open up for Israel to act more freely against Hamas,
and even vanquish it, the political pressure from the lame-duck Democratic
administration against our government is intensifying. The Democrats are clearly
seeking to register a political "achievement" in the name of the Trump-Harris
administration before it fades limply away into history this coming January 20th.
This past year of our relations with the United States have been very
difficult. In the midst of our very costly war with ruthless Hamas and
Hizbullah, the Biden Administration threatened to emplace an embargo and
sanctions against Israel if it did not follow its advice to run the war the way
the President and his staff wanted. Biden representatives constantly intervened
in Israel's security cabinet meetings, and the Administration forced Israel to
allow huge quantities of "humanitarian aid" into Gaza with the clear
knowledge that Hamas was either selling it for astronomical profits or
store-housing it for years to come.
And all this was taking place while the Israeli hostages remained
starving in Hamas dungeons, on a diet of a slice of bread a day. Ever since the
war started, the Americans have hindered our efforts and steps, reducing the
chances for a strong blow against Hamas and exerting most of their pressure
against us.
Dare we hope that in two months' time, the above will all be just a bad
dream, and that we will finally get our hands around the terrorists' necks and bring
about a real change in the military picture between Israel and those who wish
to destroy us?
And this brings us to the city of Sderot, where I live. The need for a
fundamental change in the way our military forces work in Gaza is directly
connected to the fate of Sderot and the populace of the entire western Negev.
The military maneuvers in northern Gaza, pushing myriads of Gazans southward in
order to sift out the terrorists, are a welcome move – but hardly enough. Northern
Gaza must be totally cleaned out so that Israel will be able to take full
control of the region and thus restore a sense of genuine security to the
Jewish residents. The scenes of hundreds of northern Gazans scouting out our
homes from the windows of their homes just across the border is simply
intolerable, and will greatly harm the process of rehabilitation that we are
trying to undergo.
Sderot and environs lost 30 residents on or after Oct. 7, and a host of
others were killed here since then in various battles and attacks. We are
dealing with the fragments of the painful reality that this war has left us,
working to rebuild our lives with strength and hope. But even in the midst of
the rebuilding, we are suffering from delays and impediments in our daily
lives. For one example, the Sderot-Tel Aviv train line is still not in
operation, for fear of sniper fire from nearby Gaza. Only in the merit of the
ongoing pressure of the mayors and local council heads, of the residents in
general, and of the wise decision by Finance Minister Betzalel Smotrich to
refuse to allocate 800 million shekels to protect the railway tracks – did the
IDF finally realize that the responsibility for safeguarding the area is not on
the government's shoulders, but rather on theirs – and that this requires total
military control of northern Gaza. Once they acted on this strategy, the number
of shootings and attempted terrorist attacks dropped significantly. This
proves, of course, that targeted action achieves its objectives, and that we
must continue to press. There can be no compromise at the expense of the
security of the residents of the south.
The catastrophic events of Oct. 7th left deep scars upon every
resident of Sderot. I personally lost close friends, such as Kobi Prienta and
Shilo Cohen, as did many others, and the pain accompanies us every moment of
the day. But it is precisely the difficulties, and the searing memories, that bring
out from us the strengths to march this city forward. Our vision is to turn
Sderot into the pearl of the country, a city that will produce a new generation
of resilient residents, with personal and communal vitality, who strive and
work for high-quality lives of vision, education, and community life. Thus we
will turn Sderot into a city that not only survives, but flourishes.
But the most important thing is to continue forward militarily, without
removing our foot from the gas. We must continue to fight firmly and
confidently against both Hamas and Hizbullah. This is not only a military
struggle, but one for the hopes of all of us – one that is based on our strong stances
and desire to return to normal life. With all the challenges we face, I believe
that it is possible, and imperative, to counter the threats that face us, and
guarantee our residents that which they deserve: long-range security and quiet.