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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-07-22, Page 3Wednesday, July 22, 2015 • Huron Expositor 3 Fearless exchange student tells gripping tales of the Gaza Strip Israeli Tal Cohen, is part of the Lions Club International Program, he and 14 others arrived in South Western Ontario last month. Shaun Gregory Huron Expositor The Gaza Strip war that involved thousands of rockets commenced back and forth in 2014, and is a dis- turbing nostalgia for a teenage Israeli foreign exchange student visiting Seaforth, Ont. Every year the Lions Club Inter- national welcomes youthful people from various countries to indulge in Canada's culture by sponsoring them to travel overseas. Tal Cohen, 17, from Shoham, Israel, which is approximately 75 km from the Gaza Strip, arrived in Canada June 26. He and 14 others are part of the four-week Interna- tional Youth Exchange and Youth Camp Program. Cohen said this experience is much different than what he's accustomed to back in his motherland. "I think the atmosphere in Israel, you feel the tension," said Cohen. "You don't have problems here (Canada), you can feel the (peace- fulness) and (quietness) of the people." The war that lasted 50 days between the Israeli -Palestinian people is a conflict considered in a 22 -page document released by the United Nations Human Rights Office of the Commissioner as "utterly devastating" More than 2200 Palestinians per- ished, including 500 children and roughly 250 women. On the Israeli side, around 70 soldiers and seven civilians were murdered in the confrontation. The bad blood of last year's chaos first sparked from the find- ings of three executed Israeli youths. From that moment on, everything spiraled downhill. It was a frightening memory, said the Grade 11 exchange student. The chilling ordeal was viewed on television and different types of social media. Cohen saw it live in the sky. "I did feel the war, there are mis- siles that launch and I could see them, I was scared, but you get used to it," said Cohen. In the report given by the UNHROC acknowledged armed Palestinians groups warned Israeli civilians who were living in Gaza's edge and the towns near by not to return to their homes. The docu- ment stated these groups made it clear for all in those who occupied in those coordinates to "stay out of necessity and remain in shelters and protected places." Cohen said the majority of homes in Israel come equipped with a safe haven to hide for cover. He added that even though his town is located somewhat close to the war -zone, there are several other sectors in closer range that are more at risk. "Because of my distance from the Gaza Strip, (I have) one and a half (minutes to run for cover)7said Cohen. "But there are people south (of) Israel, when there is a missile in the sky, they only have seconds to go to their shelter." Cohen exhaled deeply and said in a solemn tone that last year in the small town of Shoham, with a population of approximately 18,000, he had sprinted to safety at least "15-20 times." He hid with others in the village from the potential backlash of rocket pro- pelled weapons. In the UNHROC initial findings, it pointed out that Hamas, the Islamic militant group who gov- ern Gaza, played a major role in the high-powered missiles sent to buildings and residents of Israel. In addition, it indicated citizens allegedly killed by the Israeli Security Forces (ISF) did not appear to pose a mortal threat. The official documentation said as followed: "If verified by further examina- tion and established, this would raise concern about the effective enforcement of the ISF rules of engagement." According to McGowan Davis, chairman of the Human Rights Council, both Israeli and Pales- tinians may be guilty of war crimes committed during the 2014 battle. "Everybody in Israel wants peace and wants the war to be over and live a peaceful life, like here (Can- ada);' said Cohen. "But the only question is how far can you go with it, and what will you have to sacrifice?" The young, mature Israeli wear- ing a bright Lions Club golf shirt said, "you need to be a realist, but you also need (to) have hope that this will be over." The Gaza conflict has some- what quieted down, but the abhorrence still looms through- out the Middle East. Only time will tell what the future holds in the relationship between the Israeli -Palestinian ethnicities. The one-year anniversary of the massacres is next month and this is far from a settled situation. In saying that, Cohen will have no choice but to be put in that life- style. His 18th birthday is just around the corner and that's when he will have no choice but to join the Israeli Defense Forces. Most kids that age are worrying about college and girlfriends, but not Cohen. He will be at the age where he's conscripted to join the army. Israel is one of the only countries in the world that obligates females and males to join the military. Men generally serve for three years while women essentially are expected to be in the military for two years. "You have to go, it's mandatory, but, it's okay for me. It's something you have to do and I feel my coun- try needs me," said Cohen. This trip to Ontario, Cohen said, has prepared him for the next chapter of life. The 17 -year- old is not yet old enough to buy a lottery ticket or alcohol in Can- ada, but come next year he will be in Israel potentially fully clad in creek green and possibly armed with an assault rifle serving his Shaun Gregory Huron Expositor Brad Vincent, 17, to the left, Tal Cohen, 17, in the middle and Bryan Vincent, 57, on the right. Cohen is in Seaforth from Israel taking part in the International Youth Exchange Program. For an exercise in camp the exchange students had to make a project on bristle board explaining information about their country. nation. "It's scary," said Lions Club member, Bryan Vincent, "to think he's going in the army and could be in harms way, things we don't ever expect people to have to deal with." Vincent's wife Lynda said they have built a great relationship with Tal and the thought of him being a soldier is "certainly a strong concern," for the Seaforth residents. Vincent and his family are har- boring Cohen for the remainder of his stay. The exchange program put together by the Lions Club is some- thing Vincent said is a habitual practice. "My sister went to Norway." Right now, there are more than Quality Concrete - fast, friendly service Benmiller 519.524.4555 - Seaforth 519.527.0001 Toll Free 1.844.524.4555 100 Lions youth camps organized annually in about 40 countries. Currently the Seaforth Lions Club is seeking locals to host young adults or have them go on an exchange somewhere else in the world. Cohen departs back to Israel July 25, and he said his house family is the best family he could ask for, but he also said he would like the opportunity to clear a few things up. "(Israel) it's not as dangerous as people think, a war will only hap- pen every two years or more. But in the daily life, we're like every other country, we are very modern," said Cohen. "People should not be afraid to visit Israel:' SHARE IN OVER 100 YEARS OF FAMILY TRADITION OFFERING THE FINEST IN FRESH LAKE HURON FISH & PREMIUM SEAFOOD Fresh Pickerel & Perch Served Right On The River! Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada Just West of the Grand Bend Yacht Club