Throughout every military operation Tel Aviv always seems a bubble where the
reality of Israel’s conflicts are far, far way and “the South” is almost like
the other side of the world.
It’s no different tonight.
Everyone I
speak to says they are absolutely not worried about rockets falling on Tel Aviv.
They say Hamas will never be able to reach the city.
My favorite Italian
restaurant on Rothschild Boulevard is full tonight, as usual. The hostess tells
me she sees no change: No one canceled his reservations and many even walked in
without one.
“I didn’t even know about the situation until I got to work
and one of the waiters told me,” she said, “we are in quite a
bubble.”
“Bubble” is a word I hear often around here. Tel Aviv is a
bubble. A Sderot resident said on television earlier that her niece was crying
because no one came to her birthday party in light of what is
happening.
Meanwhile, a friend of mine just left for one in the city and
the only thing she was worried about was whether her pants matched the jacket
she had planned on wearing.
Tel Aviv Police spokesman Sammy Dzovs said
officers are posted tonight at public places with particularly high
concentrations of people in the city – not only busy streets, but also places
where crowds are expected to congregate.
He added that, just like the
rest of the authorities, the Tel Aviv police is on alert, but they are not
worried about anything happening.
Giulia Gazzelloni, from Rome, arrived
in Israel just a few days ago on a two-week trip. I spoke to her earlier this
evening about the situation.
She told me that she was scared of leaving
her friend’s house, where she is staying.
She had heard things in the
media and wasn’t sure whether she should go out for dinner.
“But then I
went out and everyone seemed relaxed, so I feel much better, quite safe,”
Gazzelloni said on the phone, while eating her pesto lasagna at a Dizengoff
Street restaurant. “My friends and family are very worried though,
they’re writing me on Facebook,” she added.