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Source: http://www.dailypress.com/news/york-county/dp-tsq-ypq-cp-sheriff-in-israel-20140508,0,4349520.story
Virginia Sheriff Recommends a Trip to Israel
(Daily Press-Hampton Roads, VA) Ali Rockett - York-Poquoson Sheriff Danny Diggs volunteered for a trip to Israel when one of the 17 sheriffs from the National Sheriff's Association dropped out at the last minute. Diggs said he was surprised to find that everyday Israelis don't harbor any resentment toward those across its hotly contested border. "You saw people in traditional Muslim attire, traditional Jewish attire and in modern clothing walking along the street, working side by side and coexisting," he said. Visiting southern Israel near Gaza, he said, "The bomb shelters look like bus stops. They are common as fire hydrants here." He said there are shelters within a 15 second run of most public areas and all homes have one. Fifteen seconds is how long the people have to take shelter from the time that a siren sounds, signaling that a rocket or mortar has been launched, until the missile hits. The tour group saw a stack of shelves filled with exploded shells. "At some point, I guess they stopped collecting them," Diggs said. "It is a constant fear, but a fear that most have come to deal with." "I learned that almost everyone, the everyday people like you and me, want to live in peace. In spite of the violence and the possibility of terrorist attack, it appeared that the people wanted to peacefully coexist without regard to their religious and cultural differences." Diggs said he would recommend the trip to anyone. "Every day something significant happened. It was a very emotional trip." The week-long trip in April was sponsored by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.