- Video shows images from Tel Aviv, Bethlehem, Jerusalem and other Israel cities before and after Hamas attacks.
- Theo Dues spent two weeks in Israel from mid-September to just before the first attack. He explains what he noticed about the military and people in the days leading up to the attacks, as well as his thoughts since.
“I’ve been accustomed to seeing strong military presences in civilian areas but this was different, this was different.”
It was once in a lifetime experience. Regional Director of Mercy House Theo Dues was over the moon as he boarded a flight to Israel, preparing to embark on a two week long Christian pilgrimage. However, Dues noticed a shift immediately after they landed.
“When you land in Israel you get a sense that you are in an occupied land," he said. "There’s a very strong military presence in the airport.”
It didn’t stop there.
“Having military experience, it was really interesting to see such a strong military presence on the streets," said Dues. "You sensed the tension, the tension was palpable.”
Dues, an Army veteran who served in Germany amid the Cold War, had experience being in an occupied state. Even though at the time there had yet to be a targeted attack in Israel, he had his guard up.
“Anytime the armed soldiers boarded the bus you felt unsafe, it just feels like a militarized zone and it’s hard not to feel unsafe," he said. "Very heavily guarded checkpoints, armed guards boarding the buses doing passport checks looking for Palestinians.”
While he spent most of his time focusing on the spiritual experiences he was there for, Dues couldn’t miss the interactions happening all around him. He left Israel just two days before the first attack. When he saw the devastation, he was heartbroken.
“I had just broken bread with these people, visited their land. I had just eaten in their restaurants, shopped in their shops and now those restaurants and shops are closed," he said. “I got the sense the war is not between the people, it’s between the Israeli government and Hamas," he said. "I spent a great deal of my time in Jerusalem where Palestinians and Israelis live side by side, and while you rarely see any interaction between two, you didn’t see a lot of hostility between the citizens.”
As the war has unfolded, Dues found himself thinking more and more about the people he interacted with.
“I’ve been in touch with our tour guide, he tells me the tensions are high, its difficult to leave their homes," he said. "They’re afraid for their lives."
He thinks about the people impacted by the war and remembers the kindness that he received. Dues said he's holding onto hope that just maybe, that trip won’t be a once in a lifetime experience.
“I can’t wait to go back, I hope we can go back soon. I can’t wait for the day when it will be safe to go back to the holy land.”
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