World • • • CAPTIVATING KITCHENS DELIGHTFUL DIVERSIONS MONDAY, MAY 14 7-9 pm DESIGNS UNLIMITED SHOWROOM BIRMINGHAM, MI A PATRON EVENING WITH AN ACCENT ON TASTE al r. c1 A DESIGNER KITCHEN TOUR SHOWCASING LUXURY DESIGNER KITCHENS IN 7 OAKLAND COUNTY HOMES TUESDAY, MAY 15 11 am to 3pm FOR TICKETS AND MORE INFO CALL 248.355.3300 EXT. 0 KITCHEN ANGEL DELIGHTFUL DIVERSIONS JR. PATRON (35 and under) KITCHEN TOUR AT THE DOOR $350 $125 $ 75 S 35 S 40 NCO 3 j Proceeds to benefit community service projc-cts 40 April 26 • 2007 The Fallen Casualties from last summer's Lebanon war remembered on Israel's Memorial Day. Dina Kraft Jewish Telegraphic Agency Jerusalem T he young men from reserve battalion 9211 greeted each other with quiet handshakes and embraces on Israel's Memorial Day by the rose and flag-covered grave of their friend David Smidov. "It's a difficult day:' Ori Bushari, 26, said Monday. Bushari had been friends with Smidov since the day they were drafted together nearly eight years ago and was just a few feet away from him when a Hezbollah mortar shell ended his life last Aug. 9. On Monday, Yom HaZikaron, there was an especially bitter pain in mourn- ing those killed in Israel's most recent The grave of Israeli reserve soldier David Smidov. war as the country asks openly if its leaders bungled how the war was fought and if it was even necessary. soldiers killed in Lebanon were scat- an international relations expert at Smidov, 25 when he was killed, was tered through bloc 7 of Mount Herzl, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, said one of the 119 Israeli soldiers killed the national cemetery in Jerusalem. the pain this year is different from the in a war that only recently was given Parents, siblings, fiancees and friends past. While it is always excruciating a name: the Second Lebanon War. His huddled protectively around the head- to lose soldiers in battle, most Israeli battalion comrades know that the shell stones as the country engaged in a wars have been fought with the belief that exploded near their friend could national day of mourning. There was no that the state had no other choice. easily have hit them. room to move Monday at Mount Herzl. Israelis had the sense that if enemy Bushari quickly sketches out the People stood packed together between nations were about to destroy you, "you formation the battalion walked as its the narrow rows of graves and under had to defend yourself; otherwise the members climbed a path north into the shade of pine trees as a two-minute country could face total destruction:' Lebanon toward their destination: the siren went off in memory of the dead. Bar-Simon-Toy said. "There is nothing village of Marjayoun. The X he marks harder than burying one's children, but at the front of the marching line repre- Olmert's Presence at least there was a feeling that the sac- sents the company commander. He was Prime Minister Ehud Olmert spoke at rifice stood for something." just one behind, to the right of the com- the ceremony. "On this special day we In the case of the war in Lebanon, mander. Smidov was three men behind are all one bereaved family:' he said. "there were so many miscalculations in Bushari. But as members of the reserve unit decision-making and it was not clear "We heard the mortar falling, hit noted, few people seemed to be lis- of the need to go to war;' Bar-Siman- the ground and then heard the cries tening closely to the prime minister. Tov said. "Today, with all the pain we of someone shouting for the medic:' Olmert is hugely unpopular and will feel over the kidnapped soldiers, there Bushari said. Smidov was badly injured soon face the findings of the Winograd is the question of whether or not we and died almost immediately. Commission, which has investigated the could have come to a different sce- "It's just a matter of luck; it's not way the government and army handled nario!' something you have control over;'Amir the war. Smidov, who was to have started Binyamin, 29, said of the mortar fire. "It's part of the aftermath of this war studying architecture last fall, was In past years, Binyamin said, he had and the leadership:' Bushari said. "As called up for reserve duty just after attended Memorial Day ceremonies people say, they hate the state; but they returning from a holiday in Prague for a former commander; but this year love their friends. That's why they go to with his girlfriend. In Prague, friends he was compelled to be here, next to reserve duty." The battalion will meet say, he had asked her to marry him. On Smidov's grave. "This time I was there again next week in the Negev Desert Monday, she stood by his grave. when it happened:' he said. "I was only when they gather for a week of training a few feet away." exercises. A story on local Yom Hazikaron observances Smidov's grave and the those of other Professor Yaakov Bar-Siman-Tov, appears on page 15.