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An Israeli man on Saturday surveys damage caused to an Ashkelon home by a rocket attack. (Daniel Bar On / Jini) Last update - 10:10 02/03/2008 The perspective from Ashkelon: Don't test our patience By Tomer Zarchin Tags: Qassam rockets, Ashkelon  Early Saturday morning a rocket crashed into Silvio and Alba Geenberg's living room, on Har Canaan Steet in Ashkelon, leaving a gaping hole in the roof. The couple, retirees in their 60s, are originally from Argentina. "We came to Israel when everyone was talking about the dangers from Iraq," Silvio said. "At that time Ashkelon was the safest place in the country. Now a war is starting here and no one knows how it will end. My wife is afraid to return to the apartment. She can hardly speak," he added. Solino Saban, 58, was woken early Saturday morning by the sound of the rocket. At 5 A.M. he left his wife and children in the reinforced room and went out to look for where it landed. Saban says he believes the new warning system in the city will cause panic. "Some people are frightened and they don't want to be scared all the time. I think it allows us to anticipate the danger - not to be complacent and then run around trying to find shelter." Saban also believes the local population will not meekly accept the rocket attacks: "I don't think anyone should put the residents of Ashkelon to the test for too long," Saban said. Advertisement Sure enough, by 7:30 P.M. demonstrators had blocked the entrance to the city. They marched from Ashkelon Junction down the highway to the Kfar Silver intersection, burning tires and blocking traffic. "The government must take into account that Ashkelon's people will not sit quietly like the people in Sderot, even if we have to get our message across with violence," Maxim Atias, one of the organizers of the protest, said. "We will start legally and in an organized fashion, but if that doesn't work, we will raise the bar. In Sderot people are traumatized, a kind of paralysis. We know that you have to act and rally the government in the first days, otherwise we'll be shell-shocked," Atias said. Ashkelon Police Chief Superintendent Haim Blumenfeld said the police had beefed up their presence in the area. "We assumed a harsh response would come after the Israel Defense Forces operation in Gaza and we are prepared. Clearly the residents are angry and we will let them vent their anger within the boundaries of the law." Local authorities decided to open schools as usual Sunday in Ashkelon, Sderot and the communities around Gaza, after consulting with the Home Front Command. In elementary schools and kindergarten, however, children will not be allowed to go outside during school hours. High school students are to remain near reinforced structures. Related articles: 5 hurt in Ashkelon as close to 50 rockets hit southern Israel Vice Premier: Reoccupying Gaza will hurt Israel more than help it How one family was shattered Bookmark to del.icio.us   Power to the people Egypt plans to provide all of Gaza's electricity, to wean dependency on Israel. Calculated escalation Hamas has been trying for some time to create a balance of deterrence with Israel.   1.   Patience!!!!! 05:13  |  G.L. 02/03/08   2.   Give the Israelis rockets 06:25  |  medusa 02/03/08   3.   Note to Ashkelon 07:24  |  Natallie Durson 02/03/08   4.   Ashqelon People Have The Right Idea 07:29  |  Ben Israel 02/03/08   5.   Apply For Foreign Visas Would Take Down the Gov`t on the Spot 07:55  |  Joseph . E 02/03/08   6.   # 3 I hope you get your Visa Joseph 08:56  |  SJ 02/03/08   7.   # 4 SJ @ TA " I withdrwe all my cash from the bank as protest 09:16  |  Joseph . E 02/03/08   8.   Now some Isrealis can say they know how Gazan civilins feel 11:16  |  Tupac 02/03/08   9.   #1: Pease will happen when they leave occupied land 11:20  |  Tupac 02/03/08   10.   Ashkelon was a Palestinian town.Like many Palestinian villages & 12:02  |  lakshmi 02/03/08   11.   THAT`S THE WAY TO DO IT!!! SHOW IT TO OLMERT!! 12:30  |  Robert 02/03/08   12.   People of Ashkalone go 2 Rav Ovadia`s home 2 quit Govt. 12:31  |  sam 02/03/08   13.   Tupac you shit return USA to Indians then 12:33  |  Robert 02/03/08   14.   Am Yisrael Chai! 12:35  |  Anette 02/03/08   15.   #5 12:37  |  Doc 02/03/08   16.   # 5: Tupac, you should move away first then. 12:43  |  Nethanel 02/03/08   17.   enough 12:56  |  niga 02/03/08   18.   Al Majdal, not ashkelon 14:37  |  Pete 02/03/08   19.   Don`t take shit like the people of Sderot 15:27  |  Beatrice 02/03/08   20.   #9 Tupac - you`re living on land swindled from the Indians 17:46  |  * BEN JABO 02/03/08

Today Online 10 Gazans killed, Israeli wounded in ongoing violence Responses: 149 EU joins UN in slamming use of 'disproportionate' force in Gaza Responses: 254 Barak to Justice Min.: Can IDF legally hit civilian areas used to fire rockets? Responses: 101 Independent expert: IDF bullets didn't kill Mohammed al-Dura Responses: 97 Harel and Issacharoff: Hamas will now try to avenge Gaza deaths Responses: 67 Rosner's Domain Battle of Ohio: Will Tzipi meet Hillary? No "statement of interest" against terror victims (WTR) McCain, Obama gear up for face off over Iraq Poll: Your solution for the situation in Gaza Prosecutor in AIPAC case to leave before trial? (WTR) More Headlines 17:56 10 Gazans killed, 4 troops hurt in ongoing Gaza op 18:04 Israeli lightly hurt as 21 rockets slam in western Negev 17:01 Barak to Justice Min.: Can IDF legally hit civilian areas used to fire rockets? 17:26 Hebron teen dies, 3 Israelis hurt as violence spreads to W. Bank 15:47 EU joins UN in slamming use of 'disproportionate' force in Gaza 17:41 Expats' kids in IDF: 'If I don't help defend my home then who will?' 15:17 Hillary Clinton comes out swinging as Ohio primary nears 15:39 Tel Aviv Stock Exchange slumps amid violence in south 14:12 Saudi Arabia compares IDF Gaza operation to Nazi war crimes 13:59 Ahmadinejad in Iraq: First-ever visit opens new chapter in ties 10:35 Independent expert: IDF bullets didn't kill Mohammed al-Dura Previous Editions Select Day 29 feb 28 feb 27 feb 26 feb 25 feb 24 feb 22 feb 21 feb 20 feb 19 feb 18 feb 17 feb

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