(Photo reprinted with permission of Yoni Alper)
The visual images transmitted via the Internet from Jerusalem yesterday, looked like a Currier & Ives print galleria. The amazing sites of Jerusalem and the mountains to the north, were all covered with a soft white blanket of lilywhite snow.
Gentle images of the streets were Tweeted, birdseye views of the city posted on Facebook, shared—then exponentially re-shared. There was The Kotel glistening! The Jerusalem Light Rail like something out of The Polar Express.
Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could be seen enjoying a playful snowball romp while he and friends built a snowman. In fact, all over the city it seemed that snowmen were emerging as if they’d made Aliyah from some distant ice cap.
Then there it was. A dark cloud built right in front of al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount. A snow missile. And not just any, but one with the “M75” engraved on it to signify who it was meant for.
As Israel National News pointed out, “The “M75” missile was fired for the first time by Hamas during Operation Pillar of Defense and has a range of up to 80 kilometers (about 50 miles.)” In other words meant for Jews living in Jerusalem. While they are manufactured locally in Gaza, the technology and parts are provided by Iran.
What does this say...hmm? Not exactly a friendly Frosty, like so many I’d seen, but rather a sick reminder of the mindset Israel faces.
The metaphorical juxtaposition between happiness and death couldn’t have been, well, more black and white.
Yes, I’m afraid it says it all.
Shabbat Shalom.
Abe Novick is a writer and communications consultant and can be reached at abebuzz.com.