Raed Sharif’s life revolves around a small blue T-Mobile cell phone. It’s his lifeline, the only connection to his family living half a world away in his native Gaza.

On Monday afternoon, Sharif, a doctoral student at Syracuse University, knew exactly how long it had been since he’d last spoken to anyone. Seventeen hours. Much too long for his liking, he said.

Israel launched a military attack Dec. 27 against the Islamic group Hamas, in response to rocket fire from Gaza into southern Israel. Nine hundred Palestinians and 13 Israelis have been killed as of Tuesday, according to MSNBC. The two sides have yet to reach a cease-fire agreement.

So far, no one in Sharif’s family has been killed. But each time his phone rings, devastating news could be awaiting him on the other end.

‘I’m constantly worried about my family,’ Sharif said. ‘I wake up in the morning and I’m afraid.’

His family left their home in Beit Lahia, Gaza, 10 days ago, after the Israeli military warned that their neighborhood would soon be bombed. Now the house his family saved their money to build is heavily damaged and family members have been separated.

But Sharif said no one in his family is surprised by the violence. His family had carefully filled an entire kitchen closet with food, enough to last about 10 days. Those supplies ran out a few days ago. Sharif said his father won’t give him details.

‘They are eating anything they can find, and joking about it,’ Sharif said with disbelief. It’s one of the saddest things he said he’s ever heard.

He spoke with his sister, who has two small children. She has no idea what might happen after she says goodnight to them.

‘She says, ‘Raed, I’m very sad. There’s a chance I won’t see them tomorrow morning,’ ‘

Sharif said.

John Akleh traveled back to Israel this December to visit family in the northern city of Haifa. He said he didn’t expect what happened after he landed on Dec. 17.

‘It was supposed to be a vacation,’ the senior ecology major said. ‘It turned out to be a series of events where you didn’t know what would happen next.’

When Akleh arrived, he saw Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on a TV talk show speaking about taking action and adopting a tougher stance against Hamas. Akleh never imagined Israeli forces would start attacking days later.

‘I thought he was bluffing, but he really did it,’ Akleh said of Olmert.

From the projects-style housing in Haifa, where his family lives, Akleh heard warning sirens for the first time since the Lebanon War in 2005, alerting the city of possible rocket attacks. But he said he still believes most Israelis would like to see an end to the fighting.

‘No one wants to go to war,’ Akleh said. ‘Jewish mothers don’t want to send their sons to die.’

Natalie Levy flew to Israel during her break with the Taglit-Birthright program, with students from Hillel, a Jewish organization on campus.

Security was especially tight, but Levy said she’s experienced the precautions Israelis take, some that surprise many Americans. The itinerary of her trip changed several times as the Israeli government tried to keep the group away from dangerous areas.

Levy, whose parents and grandparents are Israeli citizens, visited Israel several times before this most recent trip. She said she felt nervous before she left, but she feels that way each time she goes.

She arrived after the violence began, but couldn’t tell if much had changed in Israel. She sensed the people seemed committed, but were growing tired of the struggle.

‘They just want it to stop,’ she said. ‘We do what we have to do to protect our right to exist.’

But as far as Levy could tell, Israelis were trying to go about their daily routines as normally as possible.

For Sharif, life in Syracuse is anything but ordinary. He finds himself in front of the TV or the computer, desperately waiting for a report to mention an attack near his family, or just trying to figure out what is happening to his homeland.

‘For four hours, I just sat there and thought about this crazy world,’ Sharif said.

He said he’d like the violence to stop. But for now, he’ll remain seated, waiting. And always with his phone close by.

adbrow03@syr.edu

Published on January 13, 2009 at 12:00 pm