Normal day at work followed by country's plea for release of captured soldiers

Yesterday (Thursday) all started like normal, rise and shine at about 8:30am get dressed, freshen up have a bite to eat and catch the five minute bus to work. Thursdays are always exciting cause its the last day of the week here, (get Friday and Saturday off) so its that end of week feeling looking forward to the weekend. Work is fine, fixing a few systems, updating a couple of websites and doing a few technical things. Last few hours of the day at work before the weekend starts are always difficult. Finally, I finish up work and take a minibus taxi to the gym (10 minutes away), do a bit of excercise, renew my gym contract and then around 7:30pm head down to the Kikar Rabin, main square outside the city hall in Tel Aviv.

Todays rally at the Kikar is one of solidarity and support for the three kidnapped IDF soldiers. Gilad Shalit (captured and taken into Gaza), Udi Goldwasser and Eldad Regev (captured and taken into Lebanon).

Under the banner of the Jeremiah biblical text: "thy children shall come again to their own border" (see picture of the banner above), Israeli musicians poured out their emotional songs related to the army, country and unity. From hearing Udi's wife who have been married for a year, read out a personal letter to 60,000 in attendance she wrote for her husband the night before, from hearing Eldad's brother talk about his passion for everything, music, politics, culture his love of sport and soccer. From Gilads, group of girlfriends aged between 18 - 20 yrs old standing on stage and reading a message of support and hope.The same emotional, logical questions get thrown out and go through everyones mind.

Where are these 3 men now, what are they doing, what are they thinking, how are they being looked after, what do they think of Israel and what it is doing to get them back. My fustration stems from the fact of these people deserve a normal life, Shalit just turned 20 why should a 20 year old be carrying a gun wearing the green uniform and standing at border posts, Ehud just got married, pictures of his travels abroad were displayed and his wife met with Kofi Annan this week, why should a person in the peak of his live who has found his love and starting his family and future, be summoned to go fight in a war. It is a terrible age, Gilad to me is too young to experience these things, Ehud too me is too much in the peak of his lfe to have to go through this. I guess no age is a good age for this.

So from the ordinary day at the office, the week ends with the realisation of the non-normality of the country the issues it faces and a sense of togetherness and support the country showed last night as they rallied together apolitically, religious, secular, east and west together to support the families and push the government to come up with the solution. Its not normal but its the reality this place faces.

Lets hope a solution is found soon.

Thats my view from on top of this world and Kikar Rabin yesterday.

Addition: I attended the rally with a friend Amir who reported for the Jerusalem Post on the event. See his article here.