Fighters at Nablus Gate: "The winds here light up from zero to a hundred per second" | Israel today

This week, after the checkpoints at the Nablus Gate were removed, we accompanied the Border Police fighters for a tense and quiet night • Warrior: "We are a mobile target, I experienced it in the flesh" • The full article on Friday in "Israel Hashavua"

• Border fighters at the Nablus Gate

  Photo: 

  Oren Ben Hakon

The main change that has taken place since fences were removed in the Nablus Gate plaza in Jerusalem is a traffic jam on foot after prayer.

From the beginning of Ramadan, fences were set up to prevent crowds in the Nablus Gate plaza.

Now the gate has become a bottleneck: Crowds of worshipers are delayed in leaving it due to the celebrations of the young people in the plaza.

The famous celebrations occasionally become riots, with Palestinian flags being pulled out and folk songs becoming chants of "Allah is great" and "Blood and fire will redeem Palestine."

Riots and arrests in Jerusalem // Photo: Police Spokeswoman

"It always progresses from zero to a hundred in a second," describes Shiraz Granot, a course instructor and a border fighter.

"The evening is relatively calm, but you never know how it will end. On the other hand, think of the Cave of the Patriarchs, on Independence Day in Hebron there are flags, there are songs, right? So here's their way of celebrating."

Next to Granot stands a dairy bar, also an apprenticeship in a course.

What do you mean?

"Hadar Cohen, a border fighter who was killed here near the post in front of us, was a friend of mine from the neighborhood.

I stand here but see her in front of me.

Imagine exactly what happened then, five years ago, when the terrorist grabbed her and stabbed her.

I was not here when it happened, but I am able to see every action he took.

It mixes with my memory of our blocked street in Or Akiva when they came to tell my parents. "

She touches the special neck shield designed to block stabs, a unique Border Police product called "Hadas", in memory of the warrior Hadas Malka, who was also killed by knife stabs.

"I try to do my best to return healthy and intact to my parents. Sometimes I feel I am causing them grief. Look," she points to the lawn in front of us, "there is a garden set up there in memory of the late Hadar and Hadas.

But now the place has become an area where derogatory shouts are shouted against the state.

It's hard for me to see that.

Being here is a mission, not coming here to feel safe.

That's what keeps you in the position on cold nights. "