South Floridians leave home to join Israeli military

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-csoldiers22jul23,0,438470.story?coll=sfla-news-front

On Friday, he sold his silver Pontiac. On Saturday, he left his Boca Raton apartment. Today, he expects to be in Israel, ready to take arms as a soldier. "I'm needed by my country," said Jonathan "Yoni" Charust, 22, who holds dual citizenship in the United States and Israel.

Israel has been engaged in a battle with Hamas and Hezbollah for more than a week. Israel has pounded Hezbollah targets in Lebanon while Hezbollah has lobbed rockets into northern Israeli cities.

The numbers of foreign recruits may not be many, a few hundred in an Israeli Army that is estimated by the U.S. Department of Defense in published reports to have about 625,000 troops. Nevertheless, Jews from abroad leave their homes in the United States, Canada, England, South Africa and the Ukraine, among others, to come to Israel and serve.

"They bring their hearts and minds, and we are proud and happy that they come to be part of our country," said Aaron Sagui, consul for political affairs at the Israeli consulate general's office in Miami.

[TomInTib]

1. "I'm needed by my country," said Jonathan "Yoni" Charust

So stay the fuck out of "our" country, "Yoni".

I hope you get every chance to fight for your country.

I am so tired of this.

[Behind the Aegis]

4. So stay the fuck out of "our" country, "Yoni".

How enlightened! :eyes:

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

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[Ms. Clio]

12. just stop it

fuck the goddamned strawman.

[RB TexLa]

9. tired of people being loyal to their countries?

I don't understand what you are upset at. I assume when you say "our" country you mean the US which the person holds citizenship in making it his country as well.

[NNN0LHI]

2. Wonder why these folks haven't considered enlisting in the US military? n/t

[ribrepin]

13. I'd like to know the answer to that one too.

Dude should stay in Israel after the fighting is over.

[Behind the Aegis]

14. Maybe he feels the war in Israel is justifible...

...and the war in Iraq is not? :shrug:

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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[Behind the Aegis]

5. clever...NOT!

:eyes:

[MarkDevin]

6. If only!

:hi:

[oberliner]

8. implication

Is the implication here that Lieberman is more loyal to Israel than to his own country?

[blonndee]

10. Hey, why are you singling out Lieberman?

If it's because he's supporting the action, he's got good company among his peers, whether or not a good number of us here at DU agree with them. If it's because he's Jewish, it's unacceptable for you to imply that he's more loyal to Israel than America and in fact borders on anti-semitism, as though he's not a "real" American.

And I am no Lieberman fan.

[anewdeal]

11. very brave of him

Leaving a safe and sound country to defend a country under attack is no easy choice.