Sergey Kadinsky

Photography

These photos were created in the Summer of 2006, as a Media Fellow at the Jerusalem office of The Israel Project

After four weeks of caution, my boss finally gave the ok for my colleagues to travel to the Gaza border, interview, and chronicle the communities and people affected by the recent escalation of conflict by Hamas.

Highway 4 follows an ancient coastal route prescribed by such invaders as the Egyptians, Romans, Mamluks, and Napoleon.

Circled is an Israeli observation balloon over Gaza. Sderot is a small city near Gaza that continues to be shelled by Qassam rockets. Home to a large Russian-Jewish population, the second photo shows a Russian word for pharmacy.

Outside of Sderot's city hall is a continuous vigil demanding a strong response to Hamas. Pictured is a mockup of a Qassam rocket, which has a range of seven kilometers.

The diverse population of Sderot stands united in calling for Olmert and Peretz to fight terrorism.

Atara Orenbach gave us a tour of Sderot. Following the principle of living where her services are most needed, she left the Samarian community of Karnei Shomron for the Negev, where she works as a computer science teacher, and her husband is a yeshiva principal. Alongside her youngest child is writer Smadar Bakovic.

As you can see, I am frustrated at the slow response of the international community to the crisis in Sderot. I designed the sign about building Gaza.

In spite of the bombings, the city of Sderot continues to grow, with olim from many countries and parts of Israel.

A house loses its roof to a Qassam, forcing many families to sleep in basements. Israel responds by shelling fields in Gaza. Only if the locations of the terrorists are confirmed does Israel bomb actual buildings in Gaza.

A Foreshadowing

A half century before the latest escalation by Hamas, the region was scene to fierce fighting during the Israeli War of Independence. In the bomb-proof Museum of Remembrance at Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, the transition from Holocaust to independence is told by partisan fighter Abba Kovner, who designed the museum. Our guide is kibbutz resident Linda Casher, who made aliyah from Baltimore in 1975.

Between 1943 and 1946, a cluster of mostly socialist Jewish communities were built around Gaza, to secure Israel's claim to the region. Built on uninhabited desert land, it is clear that no Arab land was stolen for the construction. The small hut in the photo of Kfar Darom, a community built in 1946 on the site of an ancient Jewish village. The land was bought in 1930 as an orchard. In 1948, the Egyptian forces advanced north along Route 4, destroying the community after a three month siege. The enemy was stopped at Yad Mordechai. Kfar Darom was rebuilt and repopulated following the 1967 war. The international community viewed this settlement as illegal, and in the summer of 2005 it was forcibly evacuated and demolished by the Israeli government...

As a result of the escalation by Hamas, Israeli forces have now recaptured the site of Kfar Darom and the Gush Erez settlements.

This is a model of the battle for Kfar Darom in 1948. Unlike Yad Mordechai, Kfar Darom comprised of only a few huts and was quickly captured by the Egyptian forces.

Linda Casher shows us a map of the 1947 UN Partition Plan. On the right is Calev ben David, who served in Gaza as a soldier. Yad Mordechai was supposed to be in the Arab state. So were the residents of the kibbutz to be removed, or were they to be included within the Arab state? According to Casher, "Thankfully this a question which we never had to face, because we won." Similarly, Gush Etzion was also excluded from Israel in the Partition plan. The Jews who stayed were massacred by the Jordanian forces. Both communities helped stop the Arab advances onto Israel's population centers. Gush Etzion saved Jerusalem; and Yad Mordechai saved Ashdod and Ashkelon.

The Erez Border

Prior to the 2005 Withdrawal, this border crossing was the site of a busy industrial zone employing hundreds of local Arabs. Between Gaza City and the Green line, the Gush Erez settlements provided a buffer, preventing Qassam rockets from hitting Israeli cities such as Ashdod and Ashkelon. Today, the crossing was open only for humanitarian aid. Nodoby else was permitted to enter the war zone.

The Israeli communities of Netiv Haasara and Yad Mordechai are on the right. The borderline hilltop contains monitoring posts, and to the left of the antennae is Gaza. The slope on the left was home to the settlements of Dugit, Nitsanit, and Elei Sinai prior to August 2005.

These fences separate the Hamas-ruled Gaza from Israel. Since the escalation began, Israel has recaptured many parts of Gaza, including the area behind the fence.

Mefalsim Border Lookout

The war against Hamas is going full blast, and the whereabouts of Cpl. Gilad Shalit remain unknown.

These floor tiles near Mefalsim are in memory of a Druze captain killed while defending Israel in Gaza. The map shows the site of the demolished Gush Katif communities.

Behind me is the village of Beit Hanun, used by Hamas to launch Qassams. At the nearby observation tower, my colleagues hung a banner for the Arabs and journalists to see. The burden is on Hamas to stop this war. Stop firing Qassams, stop kidnapping our soldiers, stop violating the border, stop forcing your extremism on your people.

This is a staging area where the soldiers rest at night. During the day the camp is empty, with the soldiers back in Gaza fighting the enemy. Behind this tank is Gaza. The siddur in my hand contains the blessing for the IDF.

Meanwhile, in the Old City...

While the soldiers defend Israel, a small shul in the Old City issues prayers for their well-being. Located in the Muslim Quarter, this is the closest shul to the Makom Beis HaMikdash. The man in the picture spends his days writing commentaries on the Talmud. He is a top Torah scholar, and out of respect I chose not to disturb him with photography. His brother, may his memory be blessed, remains an inspiring figure for the Israeli right wing. He often used the raised fist during rallies. In contrast, Rabbi Nachman Kahane is more of a scholar than a politician.

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