Saturday, July 12, 2014

The Negev, a world of sand

The Negev, the desert that occupies nearly two-thirds of Israel, is a world to explore. Today we know it well but still not enough.

The Negev was of fundamental importance from the war of independence of 1948. Indeed strategic points that were tormenting Ben Gurion were Jerusalem and the Negev. One of several measures to protect the second was the construction of the international port of Eilat. This servants to protect the state from unauthorized landings on the coast of the Red Sea.

In 1953, when Ben-Gurion resigned as head of state, moved to a small village in the middle of the desert, Sde Boker, and contributed to his edification.Like this was trying to set an example to young people and to encourage them to populate the desert.

Today, the inhabitants of these small villages are motivated by a common desire to colonize the desert to get away from the densely populated metropolis. To make you realize how busy the metropolis are, I tell you that Israel si the sixth most densely populated nation in the world. But given that in two-thirds of the nation live only 10,000 people you can understand how drastic the situation is.

Six million people live in a space equal to the province of Siena!

Ben Gurion in addition to populate the desert wanted to defend it. The Army is moving the largest bases in the desert and use the ample space available for major exercises.

In addition, several organizations, such as the KKL, are trying to preserve the environment and to stop desertification

The desert is also where the major projects, Made in Israel, are developed . First, the exploitation of the water, then the development of photovoltaic and solar then wind turbine blades.

Most of the efforts are directed to agriculture. In fact, the goal is to be able to easily grow crops and veggies in the desert.

In addition Israelis invented a new method of construction whereby instead of using cement and bricks it uses sand, straw and mud. The price is almost the same because the low cost of materials si increased by the high cost of labor.

Not only Israelis live in the desert, in fact since centuries centuries was populated by the Bedouins. The Bedouins are a peaceful and hospitable people. Their economy is based on farming, are raised :sheep, goats and camels . Until that technology has taken over even on them, the Bedouins were a nomadic people who migrated to better pasture every season. They are real kings of the desert, for example they are able to find an amount of water equal to the an Olympic pool digging in the right places. Today they are all Israeli citizens and they all join the IDF.

Returning to Israel, even just reading this blog you are literally taking part in the dream of David Ben-Gurion, founder of the State of Israel, who dreamed of a future in which the development of the desert is a subject alive and active.

Personally, if I had not almost all of my family in Galilee right on the border with Lebanon, I would go to live in a desert town.

The hours of heat are less than those of the cold, the climate is dry and the day is accompanied by a pleasant breeze. The problem is that in the hot hours, it's really hot! Not the usual 30-35 degrees that there are in Italy, here you can reach 40 degrees Celsius as nothing!

But for the rest is a very nice place , you just have to get used to the heat, have an initiative spirit to build new cities and then everything is OK.

In conclusion, if Ben Gurion was still alive he would be proud of all of us that we are making, even in our small, the Negev a better place.

David Fiorentini










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