Conference taveng::bagels

   Well, since Israeli radio and TV keep quoting CNN I guess that 
   you should be just about up to date as we are.

   On the local scene people have been told to stay at home, open
   their sealed gas masks - but not to wear them yet.

      I was in the U.S. Army a few years ago so I know about gas masks. 
    Take care.  
    
    
                             Marshall

We hear that American forces were able to destroy the Iraqi
missile launchers (perhaps also the missiles) in Western Iraq,
viz. the ones which could reach Israel. Since none has so far been
launched, let us hope that this report is true. But I am still nervous
until a few more hours go by. Saddam (ymach shmo) may be holding
something in reserve.
Take care all of you. 
Utsu etsah v'tufar, as Begin once said, dabru davar v'lo yakum.
ZAITCH

    ANY MORE NEWS. I BELIEVE ATTACKS ON BOTH SIDES HAVE BEGUN??
    
    
        Catherine

I spoke with a friend late yesterday afternoon (Israeli time) in Israel and she
kept asking ME what the news was.  She said they weren't getting very much up
to date status reports, except when they could get CNN.  Is this communication
better now?  Why is the Israeli media less forthcoming?  For security reasons?

I will only reiterate - please continue to post whatever you may be hearing 
locally.

Our prayers are with you every minute...


Waky

Waky,

CNN appears to have scooped just about everyone.  They had 3 people in Baghdad
and a battery operated, satellite radio connection.  The other networks which
relied on telephone connections kept losing their links.  Israeli media is not
likely to have anyone in Iraq and so must rely on sources who do (like CNN).

Gav

Efrat 17 Jan 16:00.  Just to give you some idea of what's happening here 
in Israel now - it's about 16:00 hours here in Efrat on the first day of 
the war.

The TV and radio have been on since early morning here in our household.
On the telly there have been a few kids' shows, but mainly there are 
reports and commentaries.  On the radio, there is continual chatter and
interviews.  In the morning, there was an announcement that everyone was
to stay home and to open the sealed boxes with the gas-masks.  Only people
in essential services were to go to work - with their gas masks.
The official line is that although the bases with missiles aimed at Israel 
were immobilized in the first air-attacks, there still maybe launchers that
may fire missiles at us.  The big fear is of chemical warfare, and practically
everyone has followed the advice of Civil Defence, and sealed up one room.
At about 10:00 am, I went up to the supermarket - the place was mobbed, with
people waiting in line for about 40 minutes to get to the cashier.  There was
no shortage of supplies, with bread, milk products and today's newspapers in
abundance.

As far as the gas-masks go:- Our eleven year-old son and eight year-old
daughter didn't make any fuss when trying on theirs for the first time, 
however, our six year-old refused to put his on for a try-out. We're going
to have a problem with him if/when the time comes.  As for our little one 
who will be three in a month, she eventually climbed into her special tent
with its filters and seemed very happy there.  As for me, it seems that when 
the alarm sounds, I will have to quickly start hacking at my beard with a pair
of scissors, before I get my mask on.  

Our airtight room is ready, and just the door will have to be sealed once we're
all in there.  Every day the newspapers are full of Q&A about what to do in
various situations.

My brother-in-law, who is at Yeshivat HaKotel told me that they were up there
till 1:30 am saying Tehillim (Psalms) and then heard the first reports on the 
radio at 2:00 am of the beginning of hostilities.  At 4:00 am they were up 
again for more Tehillim and then to daven Shacharit Vatikin.  He mentioned
that some people at the Kotel even said Hallel this morning.

My sister, who's in charge of volunteers at Hadassa Ein-Karem, was woken at
4:30 am and told to be at work at 5:00 am.  She just told me that she's
leaving for home and that the level of alert has has gone down.

The streets are practically deserted, however, in East Jerusalem there were
disturbances on a minor scale.  It will be interesting to see how the Arabs
in Judea and Shomron react to the events - right now, there is a curfew on.

Well, that's about it for now from your correspondent in Efrat.

    Take care and I sincerely hope that you will not need to 
    cut even a hair from your beard.
    
    
                Catherine 

    
    I've heard rumors of between 1-14 American planes having been 
    downed. Anyone with info on this?
    
    Let's pray for _besurot_tovot_ and a quick and successful culmination
    to the conflict.
    
    Jem
    
    
    

re: .9:

more-or-less official word from Sec. of Defense Cheney and General Powell
is that one American and one British plane was lost (with loss of life
in both cases).  The American plane was an F18 and I don't remember
the British plane designation "Thunderbolt" or somesuch.

Martin.

    The British plane lost in action was a Tornedo. 
    Last I heard (around 13:30) was the the crew was described as 'missing' 
    opposed to 'lost' as there were reports that they ejected before
    landing. 
    
    Malcolm

    Sorry to say-
    
    Other notesfiles (defense_issues, soapbox) report
    that 3 missiles have just fallen on central Tel Aviv.
    

         <<< COMET::COMET$DISK8:[NOTES$LIBRARY]DEFENSE_ISSUES.NOTE;1 >>>
                        -< Hawks 'n Doves 'n Everybody >-
================================================================================
Note 699.171                 GULF CRISIS NEWS FLASH                   171 of 173
VMSZOO::ECKERT "Once-upon-a-time never comes again"   2 lines  17-JAN-1991 17:26
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The AP has reported that three missles have landed in Tel Aviv.
    
================================================================================
Note 699.172                 GULF CRISIS NEWS FLASH                   172 of 173
CSS::KEITH "Real men double clutch"                   4 lines  17-JAN-1991 17:50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    a building has collapsed in central Tel Aviv. They think 6 missiles
    have landed
    
    Steve
================================================================================
Note 699.173                 GULF CRISIS NEWS FLASH                   173 of 173
CSS::KEITH "Real men double clutch"                    1 line  17-JAN-1991 18:02
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Planes have taken off from Turkey...

      Can anyone in Israel give us some news on if Israel has struck back.
    Did Iraq use gas?  
    
    
                                   Marshall

    Considering the time in Israel, it's probable that people are in 
    their homes.  Supposedly, the gas-mask warning came and went and came
    back again.  I strongly suggest monitoring COMET::DEFENSE_ISSUES as
    a previous reply suggests - they seem to be getting the news quicker
    than the networks (in the US).
    
    Also, they stated that the Israeli government doesn't want to release
    too many details since they don't want the Iraqis to know how accurate
    their hit was.
    
                                           .steve.

	May God protect all innocent lives.  Pray for a peacefull
	end to this distruction and back to where people love one
	another.

	-Sultan

Locally confirmed: 7 missles Tel Aviv & Haifa, conventional 
warheads, 7 people lightly injured.
People are allowed to remove their gas masks bust must remain in 
sealed rooms.  We live in Jerusalem and took the risk of going 
out of the room and making a quick pit stop.  It's my turn for
the john now so I'm signing off. 

    Pictures of sites in Tel Aviv that have been hit were shown on CBS a
    few minutes ago. What do you know about retaliation at this point?
    
    Dan (Boston, 10:16 PM)

Israel is not discussing that openly at this point.

We have just been given teh signal that we may leave the sealed 
rooms but are to remain at home.  There was no all-clear siren.

I just hear an interview on Israel radio with David Levy, Foreign 
Minister.

His TONE was that:
There is a fair chance that this salvo may NOT be the last (the
Israeli Army spokesman said the same thing in an earlier
interview) 

Just because this salvo did not have chemical/gas warheads is no
indication as to what may follow (he explained the theory behind
this but I'm too tired to type it in) 

We cannot continue to live in the proximity of someone who is
able and obviously willing to do this to Israel.  Saddam and his
war machine have to go.  One way or another. (these were not his
words - this was his message couched in diplomatic terms) 

Just heard on the 7am news:
Injured count is twelve - lightly.
Unspecified number of people mistakenly injected themselves with anti-nerve 
gas injections and are hospitalized in unspecified condition.

    
    It's 6:00 in the morning here in Canada and still little information as
    to what has happend in Israel. Can you keep us informed?
    
    My prayers are with you, may peace come soon.
    
    Bill

	I pray that the Israeli government has the intelligence and
	restraint not to play into Saddam's hands by retaliating.  I'm sure
	the necessary intelligence to take out the mobile missile lauchers
	can be passed to the allied command.
	
	Israel can play a part in this way without actually entering into
	the combat.

	Delia
	

   Spending the night in a sealed room wearing gas masks and 
   being glued to the TV and radio, keeping the kids calm, 
   knowing that missiles are falling from the sky but not really
   knowing what's going on is a sobering experience.  One which 
   I'm afraid that we'll have to repeat.  I hope that I'm wrong.

   Three of four people have died as a result of wearing their gas 
   masks.  A few forgot to remove the seals on the filters and 
   suffocated.
   
   Other than where the missiles hit, there were over 500 calls for
   ambulances for heart attacks, and various side effect type of
   problems. 
   
   In the El Aksa mosque on temple mount the sermon in todays Friday 
   prayers was on the theme "Thanks to Allah for sending the 
   missiles".

   There is the constant sound of jets on patrol overhead.

Our prayers continue to go out for your safety.

It everyone at your office safe?
							EJ

    	Ditto .-1
    
    			PS

   Nobody is in the office.  People are supposed to remain at home.

   The few people with whom I spoke on the phone are OK.

>   In the El Aksa mosque on temple mount the sermon in todays Friday 
>   prayers was on the theme "Thanks to Allah for sending the 
>   missiles".

What else need be said?

We pray that this Shabbat will be quiet with no
more missile attacks, but we are all very
concerned that Saddam will next escalate to
chemical warheads, since the "conventional"
one failed (so far) in its political aim.

God help us all!

ZAITCH
	

Efrat 18 January 16:00.   Well, it came last night at about 2:35am.  We were
fast asleep when I heard the faint sound of a siren and the wail of an 
ambulance.  I jumped up and woke the missus, with something like "it's
started".  Raced into the room where the two little ones were asleep and 
carried Ariel (6) into our bedroom which we had prepared before sealing off
all windows.  Then I got the little one Avia (nearly 3) and took her in.
In the meantime, my wife was getting her mask on.  Then, I ran upstairs
to wake up the two big ones Tal (8) and Noam (11). Boy, he never gets up
for school that quickly.  Opened up the special tent for the little one, 
while the two big ones put their masks on by themselves.  Then raced to get
some rags doused in bleach (Economica) to put under the front door and under
the bedroom door.  Yaffa, my wife, was coaxing Avia to go into her tent. 
Ariel started crying hysterically.  I grabbed a big pair of scissors and 
started mutilating my beard. (Didn't do too bad a job). After that, I put
my mask on.  Yaffa complained she couldn't breathe, while quietly convincing
Ariel to co-operate.  Eventually, he agreed to put his mask on.

The radio and TV were both on with messages to put masks on - I must say
the announcers were very reassuring.  At about 3:20 am our area got the
all-clear to take off masks, but to remain inside the sealed room.
Residents in the Dan area (whole coastal region) and Haifa had to have 
theirs on till just after 4 am.  I called my parents in Petah Tikva in the
Tel Aviv area, they'd slept through it all. (Just as well).  Then, I finally
got through to my sister-in-law who's alone with her 5 kids - my brother
went in for reserve duty a week ago - to see how she was doing.

The phone company made a "bomb" (that's an unfortunate expression) on phone
calls last night.  

At about 6 am, we got the OK to open the sealed room and off to sleep for
a few more hours.   The reporting on local media was quite good, although I
tuned in to the BBC around 3 am.  They were reporting chemical warheads.

It seems that casualties (direct from the bombing) and material damage
was miraculously light.  

We are getting prepared for tonight's episode, and I'm afraid to say that
I expect tonight will include gas.

Incidentally, we found out why Yaffa didn't feel too good - the filter was 
blocked.  She still felt pretty rotten several hours later.

In 45 minutes it will be Shabbat, and there is an "heter" to leave a radio
on to hear essential news and announcements.

I can't understand all this moralizing anti-war stuff in the US and Europe.
All power to Bush, John Major and the forces fighting Iraq.  Contempt for the
Europeans (French, Germans et al.) for the moralizing piffle - who armed the
Iraqis to the teeth.


Shabbat Shalom U'mevorach, ve'nishma b'sorot tovot vi'shuot.


Jonathan Wreschner

    Jonathon,
    
    You, your family and your people are constantly in our thoughts 
    and prayers.
    
    Sorry about the beard.
    
        Catherine 
    

Jonathon and Aharon seem to have covered most of the news pretty thoroughly and
I cannot tie-up the phone for too long.

I would just like to take the opportunity to say thanks for all the good
wishes and prayers.  We may well need them tonight.  I tend to agree that
there is a stong chance of a gas attack tonight even though the allies have
been destroying mobile missiles all day. I am pretty sure that SH has some more
hidden away.  

Oh well, nearly time for our Erev Shabat meal.  And we managed to get our sweet
challas!  I understand that they were in pretty short supply.  

Jonathon, I thought that we had enough trouble getting the gas mask on my
mother-in-law last night!  I sure am pleased that I have not got your crowd of
youngsters to deal with.  My youngest is nearly 15.  By the way, you have no
idea how quiet a mother-in-law can be with a mask on!  :-)

Shabat Shalom and keep safe and well wherever you are
Baruch

        I heard a report (probably BBC but could have been on French TV
        relayed from anywhere) that said that Iraq has never used missiles
        with chemical warheads and they may well not have the technology to
        do this.

	In Iran, they used aircraft or artillery to deliver the chemicals.

	That might not be much consolation, but I hope it's true.

	I hope all in Israel have a peaceful night.

	Shabat Shalom,

	Delia

	

    Jonathan,
    
    This moralizing anti-war stuff in Europe is only a minority. Be
    sure that there is also many people convinced that war is the only
    way to stop the tyranny and the agression of SH.
    
    I pray with a heavy heart for your health and for peace for Israel.

    Shabbat Shalom.
    
    Rafael Logvinski.
    

BTW, there have been lots of anti-war protests in the US, as well.  The
protesters don't seem to see the difference between what we're doing in
Iraq and what we did in Vietnam/Grenada/Panama.  In fact, I heard a
Vietnam slogan recycled for this war -- instead of "Hey, Hey, LBJ, how
many kids did you kill today?" it was "George Bush, what do you say,
how many, etc."

Apparently some politically-left-wing Jewish groups (e.g. New Jewish Agenda)
have had some problems deciding which side to be on.

    
    Re: .31
    
    > By the way, you have no
    >idea how quiet a mother-in-law can be with a mask on!  :-)
    
    I'll bet she looked alot better, too.
    
    I'd like to remind everyone to continue reciting Psalms 79 and 83
    as well as 20. The filthy coward SH may try to catch Israel "off
    guard" on Shabbat as his buddies did 18 years ago on Yom Kippur.
    
    But, as the prophet Jeremiah said, "it will be  a time of trouble for
    Jacob, but HE WILL BE SAVED FROM IT."
    
    May it be His will.
    
    Jem
    
    

    
    Just as I finished posting that, I heard that sirens were just sounded
    in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
    
    Please attend your synagogue this Shabbat, and pray as never before.
    
    "Some trust in chariots, some in horses, but we call upon the name of
    the L-rd our G-d. They bend and fall; we rise and stand upright. O
    L-rd, save us; may the King answer us when we call!"
    
    Jem
    
    
    

    NY Radio just reported that all clear has been sounded.
    
    WS

	I have created a new notes conference on HPSCAD::ISRAEL_GULFWAR which
  is in the US to keep the communications going on Israel and the Gulfwar.
  See Note 1027 for Details.

		Danny

    Prayers and thoughts are with you.
    
    Anyone wanting messages relayed to friends and relatives in the Northern
    New Jersey area can send me mail at NYEM1::MILBERG.  Am also willing to
    set up schedules on the ham bands for phone patches.
    
    	-Barry_WD4DAA/2-

    could somebody post here frequencies/times/language about Israel's 
    Radio stations broadcasting on short wave to Europe
    
    Peter

Efrat 19 January 20:30.

Well, it's Motzei Shabbat and after the second missile attack, I can still
say that aside from minor injuries in the Tel Aviv coastal area and damage
to buildings nothing more serious has happened.

We, the family, seem to be getting into the swing of things and everyone
does what he/she is supposed very matter-of-factly.  There was an alarm,
which turned out to be false, at about 21:00 last night, just after we'd
finished clearing away from our Shabbat meal.  This time we were in our masks
for only 15 mins.  Then, at 5:15 am residents of Jerusalem and the surrounding 
areas were told to put on masks, once again a short-lived false alarm.
At 7:30 am, the whole country had to put on their gas-masks and go into their
sealed rooms.  This time there were about 10 people lightly injured.  The all-
clear came about 30 mins later and we were able to go to Shul.

I have to relate to you what Rabbi Riskin (whose Parshat Shavua, Jem relays
in some other note) said last night in Shul.  Among other things, he said
that it's said that when the People of Israel keep two Shabbatot, the 
Mashiach will come.  Well, he was sure that this Shabbat, Am Yisrael would
be united.  For a start, all the Datiim (observant Jews) would be listening
to the radio, and all the Hilonim (non-observant Jews) would be praying.

It's very comforting to read your kind wishes for our safety and also thanks
to Warren Schorr for offering to send "bribes" for our kids to do what they're
supposed to do.  

Shavua Tov le'chulam  - A very good week to all.

Jonathan Wreschner

Shevuah Tov to one and all.

It is just after midnight and I am too tired to type much. Anyway, you all seem
to be getting the news pretty fast.  We have had one false alarm so far
tonight, and we got the all clear just as soon as we finished sealing ourselves
into our room (more money for the sealing tape manufacturers!).  My mother-in-
law even managed to get her own mask on (first time), but she had trouble
getting it off again :-)  .  That was a few hours ago; think I will go and see
how she is getting on! Just joking, honest :-]  

We heard this evening that Patriot missiles are being set-up to try and bring
down the missiles before they hit their targets.  They were shipped in during
the day.  They are not really designed as anti-missile missiles, but have
already had some success in Saudi A. Thank you Uncle Sam, but I wish we had
received them a little sooner.

Just one request.  I read in a note yesterday, some details of where missiles
had landed.  Please stop entering details which may help the Iraqis to aim the
bl__dy things.  I know that it is a slim chance, but all readers of these notes
may not be friends of ours (?).

I am off to get some sleep before the sirens start wailing again.  Anyway, if I
do not stop soon, my wife will not let me into the sealed room if there is an
alarm. :-(

Shalom
Baruch

re .42 
>It is just after midnight and I am too tired to type much. Anyway, you all seem
>to be getting the news pretty fast.  We have had one false alarm so far
>tonight, and we got the all clear just as soon as we finished sealing ourselves

I thought it was a genuine alarm.  We woke the kids up at 22:00 and then
sent them back to bed at 22:10.   It's sure creating havoc with the everyday
routine.

>Just one request.  I read in a note yesterday, some details of where missiles
>had landed.  Please stop entering details which may help the Iraqis to aim the
>bl__dy things.  I know that it is a slim chance, but all readers of these notes
>may not be friends of ours (?).

Hear, hear!!!!!!!!!
Please, be very careful what you write!!   The Army spokesman, General Nahman
Shai, today at a news' briefing for foreign journalists said something to the 
effect that if they wanted to commit suicide, he preferred that they do it
in their own countries, and not in Israel.

>I am off to get some sleep before the sirens start wailing again.  
Me too.
>                                                                   Anyway, if I
>do not stop soon, my wife will not let me into the sealed room if there is an
>alarm. :-(

My wife has threatened similar action.

Laila Tov  Sweet dreams

Jonathan

    Well T.G. it was a peaceful night -- nothing uninvited "dropped in".
    
    I'll say it was a peaceful night and not a restful night, as I did the
    night shift. A lot of families now have someone constantly listening to
    the radio for either the siren or the signal to activate the siren.
    
    What has happened in my area, is that after the siren has gone and
    everyone has RUSHED into their sealed room, people phone each other to
    ensure that they heard the siren.  I know of a few peole who slept
    thru' the first siren.
    
    Anyway -- its 07:30a.m so its off to bed for me.
    
    								.... Monty

Reply to .42

>We heard this evening that Patriot missiles are being set-up to try and bring
>down the missiles before they hit their targets.  They were shipped in during
>the day.  They are not really designed as anti-missile missiles, but have
>already had some success in Saudi A. Thank you Uncle Sam, but I wish we had
>received them a little sooner.

The IDF has had patriot missiles for weeks.  However, according to US press 
sources the IDF until now has refused to allow American Servicemen to 
operate them for the IDF.  There is a training program in the US underway 
to train Israeli's how to operate the systems.  After the missile strikes 
and the success of the missiles in Saudi Arabia more missiles were sent over 
along with American Servicemen to operate them.  However, press releases 
have stressed that the crews are joint American and Israeli.

However, there is still some concern that the types of SCUDs being used 
against Israel are a less sophisticated type and therefore it is unknown if 
the Patriot missiles will be effective against them.

    Chaverim, all my hopes and prayers are with you.
    
    I'd be happy to relay messages to folks in the Boston area.
    PACKER::JULIUS
    
    Zie gezunt
    Bernice

I don't know where to start so I suppose I'll start by expressing my 
deep feeling of sadness and anxiety over the crisis that all of you 
in Israel are experiencing. Someone asked me today, "Do you have 
anyone over there?" How was I supposed to really convey the fact that 
I have millions of brothers and sisters who are in mortal danger. 

Here in Lakewood there is nothing else on anyone's mind. Every 
tefilah has a special urgency. Everyone is saying tehilim,  special 
learning groups have been set up for the kids after school and
everyone, I mean everyone, views this as our personal crisis.

I have to say that I'm very interested in knowing WHAT's going on in
order to share in the relief or, lo olainu, sorrow of my brethren.
However, when I start hearing judgmental analysis or speculation
about different contingencies or the social/economic/political impact
of various scenarios that the war could take, I switch off the radio
or tune out the conversation. I know that, ultimately, the safety of
Klal Yisroel is not a function of the number of Patriot missiles we
have or the loyalty of our allies. That's not to say that the generals
and politicians shouldn't deal with these things. But I'm not a
general or politician. Just as they are responsible to do what they 
can, I feel that we in Galus must do what we can to bring this 
danger to an end. And while talking about weapon systems may be 
interesting and even comforting to us here, it's only talk and doesn't 
have an impact on the situation. Our only constructive contribution is
to bind ourselves to the distress of our brothers and to beseech the
Conductor to have mercy on His people. 

One last thought. I have read this Notes conference for the past two 
years and, needless to say, haven't agreed with everything I have 
read. Perhaps this is needless to say as well but I think that at a 
time like this it's worth saying. My prayers, our prayers, are for KOL 
BAIS YISROEL, ALL of the house of Israel, regardless of their 
commitment or beliefs. An errant brother is still a brother.

Achainu Kol Bais Yisroel, Hanesunim Batzarah U'Bashivya, HaOmdim 
Bain Bayam U'Vain BaYabasha, HaMokom Yerachem Alayham V'Yotziaym 
Mitzarah L'Revacha, MayAfayla L'Orah, U'MeShibud L'Geulah, Hashtah 
BaaGoloh U'Vizman Kariv, V'Nomar Amen.

"Our brothers, the entire family of Israel, who are delivered into 
distress and captivity, whether they are on sea or dry land - may 
the Omnipresent One have mercy on them and remove them from distress 
to relief, from darkness to light, from subjugation to redemption, 
now, speedily, and soon -- and let us say Amen." (translation taken 
from the Art Scroll siddur - typos are mine).


Ephraim

 

    If anyone wants to send a message to someone in the greater L.A. area,
    you can email me at:
    
    MILT PLAUT@LAS
    
    or SRFSUP::PLAUT
    
    and I will relay the message for you.
    
    My wishes, hopes and prayers for a speedy and lasting end to this
    crisis.
    
    Milt
    

We just had another attack.  The all-clear has been given for the 
non-Tel Aviv area.  Two Patriots were shot off.  They didn't tell 
us yet exactly what happened.  Should know in a few minutes.

All clear in whole country.  No gas.

    Just heard the news that there were many casualties.  Hope you are
    all o.k. and your families have not been involved.
    
    Thinking about all of you in Israel.
    
    Noya

    
    Unfortunately, this time there were injuries.
    
    Current statistics as of 01:45 a.m 
    
    	70 injured of them:
    		3 deaths - not caused DIRECTLY by the attack. Probably
    			   heart attacks
    		3 serious/critical - one a baby with head injuries
    		5 medium injuries
    
    	They hope to release upto 60 of the injured, by tomorrow morning.
    
    	Of the injured, 15 are over 65
    
    The majority of the injured are lightly injured, mainly caused by
    flying debris and shock.
    
    May G-d heal them all rapidly.
    
    						..... Monty

I am trying not to let this sound paranoid, but there do not seem to have been
any entries here from ISRAELIs in many hours.  I know that it is late there,
but usually there is SOME activity on and off.  I just had on the news, and
there was no mention of any more bad news, so I trust you are all just having
a well deserved rest - yes?????

Waky

    Yeah, no news is good news.  This whole thing is getting too 
    intense for me.

Thanks for your reply - I'm only 6 months pregnant and already I've turned
into a Jewish mother with my worrying!

Waky




                     <<< Note 1024.54 by TAVENG::GOLDMAN >>>
                                 -< you rang? >-

    Yeah, no news is good news.  This whole thing is getting too 
    intense for me.

    Spoke too soon.  We just had an alarm.  Non-Tel Aviv have been 
    released from masks and sealed rooms; TA can take off their 
    masks but need to stay in rooms for the meantime.

Just sounding the all-clear country wide.  No other info as to 
what happened yet.

Army spokesman just notified:  

	Noone hurt anywhere.
	Patriot(s?) launched in the "north of the country".

Army spokesman back on the air:

One SCUD  - Patriot shot it down!!!!

yeah!!!!!

thanks for taking the time to let us know!  you are our eyes and ears and
i for one really appreciate it!

thank-you, thank-you, thank-you!

g.

Knight Ridder just carried an AP report that one Iraqi SCUD was shot down by two
Patriots.  That was all the details they had on the attack.

The report said the all-clear was sounded and people could leave their safe 
rooms - except for the Tel Aviv area.

Baruch Hashem

>The report said the all-clear was sounded and people could leave their safe 
>rooms - except for the Tel Aviv area.

The WHOLE country has been all-clear for over and hour and a 
half.

>Baruch Hashem

Yep.

this one, also via Knight Ridder, might be of interest:

White House mouthpiece Fitzwater said today that the anti-Sadaam coalition
would survive an Israeli retaliation against Iraq.

This came out before today's SCUD attack.

				your man-on-the-beat
				Louuuuuuuuuu

    One SCUD was fired at Israel and one at Saudia.
    
    It was destroyed in the air by a Patriot missile fired from a battery in
    the Hiafa area.    T.G No one injured.   The remains of the missile are
    currently being examined by the relevant authorities.
    
    After the initial euphoria about the successful interception of the
    missile, official spokesmen are reminding people that no one can
    guarantee that the Patriot batteries will supply 100% safety.
    
    						.... Monty
    

    
    Destroying SCUDS is one thing, at least the explosive charge gets
    zapped ( does,nt it?) but that still leaves a lot of Junk to 
    crash land somewhere, 	Out in Saudi, there is just desert round
    the towns, which does not apply to the particular areas being targeted.
    
    N.

   Yeah, and once Saddam is gone we still have to worry about 
   Assad.

    Just had a false alarm.  The sirens went off round the country, the all
    clear siren was heard less than five minutes later.  (Just enough time
    to wake up all the kids from their deep sleep :-) :-) )
    
    Official Spokesman announced that there was an indication of attack,
    but on further investigation, was found to be incorrect.
    
    Oh well - we were hoping that that was the one for the night.
    
    

I just heard on the noon news that there has been another (larger?) scud
attack on Israel a couple of hours ago.  

Everyone ok?  Any details that can be shared without security problems?

Waky

    Last night we come home from shul and are just sitting down to
    the table around six o'clock - and off go those infernal air-raid
    sirens. We go through the routine yet again...into the room, seal
    the door, put on the gas masks, put on the radio...... This time
    we heard three or four muffled explosions.  Not really sure what
    they were.  Army spokesman on radio said that lots of people from
    around the country heard the booms of the Patriots being launched.  
    Wisdom on the street (ie. in shul this morning) says that it was 
    the sound of the Patriots hitting Scuds. 

    On the positive side - they did it early and let us get an 
    uninterrupted night of sleep :-)

  On the news this evening...

  In last night's missile attack, one man was killed and 67 injured.
  Five buildings were demolished and more than a thousand homes were damaged
  broken glass, window panes etc.

    Well, we just had our Saturday night episode.  Patriots made 
    hits.  No reported injuries.  

    What is the difference between Sadam Hussein and Hamman HaRasha?



    Well, the difference is that with Hamman the Jews wore masks only 
    after he was hanged.
   
    (The reference to masks with Hamman is related to Purim, the festival
    Jews were masks and costumes, while with the reference to Hussein is
    to the gas masks) 

    Regards,
 
    Juan-Carlos Kiel

    It is already some 4 weeks since I begun a note stating that we were real
    hostages of Iraq, I mean, all of us that live in Israel and perhaps in the
    whole world. 
  
    We are hostages since he is threatening the single achievement we can share:
    a kind of standard of relations between peoples and/or countries that make
    life and peace feasible. Not that I believe that the system works, not that
    I don't see the problems and failures around here, but the conventions we
    had are the basis of the future life on our planet. I see the question at
    stake is: are we going to leave in the light or in the darkness - in this
    sense this is an escatologycal (spelling?) war.

    We in Israel have become onr of the front lines in this battle. I will not
    enter the subject if and how and how strong should Israel answer to this
    threat, because I don't know enough (tactically and estrategically) and
    also because an open notesfile is not the place where to argue this.

    What I can address is the hidden reason for Iraq's attacs on us: a. to
    make this war a "Jihad" - Holy War and b. to disrupt our life, our dayly
    life. I know very little about holyness and holy wars, but regarding the
    disruption of my dayly life, I am not ready to let him do it. It is hard
    to look at your kids wearing gas masks, it is unpleasent to hear the 
    humps of the SCUD missiles a few miles from home. But I am not ready to
    let my spirit down.

    As of today I am proudly waving an Israeli flag in my car and another 
    from my balcony.

    Juan-Carlos Kiel 

    re .73
    I completely agree with you, Juan - one of the most sensible comments
    about war and peace I've heard in a very long time!
    
    I hope you are able to go out and plant a tree or two with your family
    for Tu b'Shevat, also - everything here in cold New England is always
    too frozen up to plant anything outdoors at this season.  Helping to
    reforest our ancestral homeland is one way to counteract the influence
    of that sub-human terrorist (I can think of worse and more accurate
    words for that man, too, but my reply would probably then get hidden,
    so I will hold off!).
    
    /Charlotte (Gevorah) 

   We just had another attack, about twenty-five minutes ago.
   Tel-Aviv area still in sealed rooms and gas masks.  All others 
   have been released but must stay home.  No more details yet from 
   Israel radio/TV.

   Army spokeman just came on and said that there are no reports of 
   injuries and that the all-clear has been sounded for the whole 
   country.

    News reported in the US that a missile hit the West Bank.
    
    yoseff
    

     Israeli TV reported that the missile missed for a few hundred meters an
     arab village just the other side of the "green line". The comments of the
     villagers were very friendly, comprehensive and even peace seeking.

     Missiles and bombs do not make any difference between Jews and Arabs.

     Perhaps the common danger will bring to a common understanding.

     Regards,


     Juan-Carlos Kiel

    Considering the fact that many Arab villagers had been cheering and
    singing every time a missile was sent in the direction of Tel-Aviv, it
    was interesting to note that they were not too impressed when one of
    their "friend's" missiles came their way.  Their singing went even more
    off-key than usual. Or perhaps that's just my western oriented ear? :-)
    
    Shalom
    Baruch 

You mean *I* get to give the news this time?  Even beat Aharon??
Well another alarm, another all-clear, for the whole country except
for the West Bank. Sadaam seems to be falling short lately.
Oh well...

Sid

    Sid,
    
    The whole country was stood down from the alarm, by about 10:30 (TAVENG
    time).  So far no injuries or damage reported.
    
    BTW: According to the weekend Ma'ariv, some of the inhabitants (not the
    friendlies) in the Shomron claim that the last two attacks, where
    missiles landed in their area, were NOT Iraqi missiles.  They were
    fired from Israel !!!!
    
    Sid, 
    Looking at the time stamp on your message, it didn't take you long to
    get out of your sealed room and log-in :-) :-)  !!!!!
    
    						..... Monty
    

>    BTW: According to the weekend Ma'ariv, some of the inhabitants (not the
>    friendlies) in the Shomron claim that the last two attacks, where
>    missiles landed in their area, were NOT Iraqi missiles.  They were
>    fired from Israel !!!!

A later "bulletin" -- we're "OK" after the 2AM (Israel time) attack...

And an interview with Yasir Arafat in English, last night:

		-  "All the missiles landing in Israel are all Israeli-made
		    missiles which are being launched from the Negev"

		-   "All the equipment which the Americans and the Saudis
		     are using in the Gulf came from warehouses in Israel"

		-   "The Israelis provided commanding officers to the
		     Americans and the Saudis (boy, I'd like to see the
		     day...), and are commanding units in Saudi..."
    
		-    Question to him:  "What do you think of the Israeli
		     restraint...?"

		     - "What restraint?  The Israelis started this war with
			their attacks on Iraq..."

don

RE: .80 (Sid)

   Well, as I knew there was going to be another attack last night,
   I was planning for the Saturday night wrap-up.  It's just that 
   I was too tired to actually do it at 2am  :-)

Aharon -
Actually, I assumed your reasoning was that those abroad would not
be monitoring the note during shabbat :-), and those here already got the 
message.

    Re. .82
    
    What a riot Don, I hear Jackie Mason stopped by last 
    week, he had some competition with YA on the boards.
    
    B

    Well, about 2� hours after the cease fire went into effect, the Civil
    Defense officially declared an end to "the state of emergency".

    It means that life can now return to normal. Citizens do not have to
    carry their gas masks around with them at all times. 
    Also, there is no necessity to have sealed rooms at home or at work.

    We celebrated by "unsealing" one of our sealed room and finally opening
    the window in that room !!!

    A representative of the Environment Ministry came on the radio and
    asked people not to throw away the plastic sheetings. They are going to
    collect it and find some way to recycle it.

    I'm off now to stroll round town with the family WITHOUT our gas-masks
    and special cot for the baby.

    A Very Happy Purim to EVERYONE.

    							.... Monty

And who says Israel will have no place at the post-war peace table?

Israel will have a very important role.

We will be the main course!

:-)