[Times-UK] Stephen Farrell - Despite his Leeds accent, Ben, 26, is an Israeli soldier, one of hundreds serving in the Israeli military either as newly arrived citizens or on army programs for Zionists who want to defend Israel while deciding whether to emigrate. Earlier in the day he was ducking Hizballah mortars in the Lebanese village of Adessa, just across the border, an Israeli soldier known among his colleagues for his stamina and ability to carry a heavy machinegun over long distances. He did not have to join - compulsory military service would not have come for a few years - but volunteered because he sees the Army as Israel's "melting pot." "Can you imagine if the Isle of Wight started bombing London? How long would it be left standing? There's no other country that is asked to show as much restraint as Israel," he declares.
2006-08-11 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive