Bethany High School Students Keeping Tabs On Friends In Israel

A group of Israeli high school students visiting Oklahoma got held up in New York following the attack on their homeland. They were here on an exchange program with Bethany High School. A group that visited the country last year talked about their time there.

As of Tuesday morning, Bethany schools stated that the last group of exchange students were flying home.

“I never felt unsafe while being over there, the whole time, all the soldiers were very friendly, and they would even take pictures with us,” said Alaina Clifton, a senior at Bethany High School.

Their time in the middle eastern country has given them a connection to the other side of the world, where a war is unfolding.

“I can't imagine missiles and terrorists walking into our country,” said Jake Stearman, a senior at Bethany High School. “It's just scary thinking that it's happening to someone that we're so close to.”

“As soon as we saw what happened we were all very quick to contact them,” Clifton said.

One former exchange student they contacted was Mika Rotbart, who visited Oklahoma last year. She is currently sheltered inside her home with her family.

“It's kind of a weird feeling, there's no school, everyone is home.” Rotbart said.

Rotbart said most of the activity is south of her home, but her community is helping to bring supplies to war torn areas. She’s also waiting for her brother Omer to return home from the United States. He was visiting Bethany the past two weeks and got stuck in New York on his way home. But Rotbart says home is not the same.

“A lot of people I know went to go fight and they're in danger and there are a lot of missing people who we don't know where they are and no one knows if they were kidnapped or killed,” she said.

The students that visited the country last year are keeping a close eye on their friends.

“It weighs more on you because some places you've physically been and seen,” said Bethany High School student Cade Sweatt. “It's kind of hard to feel for someone or feel for something that happened when it's on the other side of the world, but this is affecting all of us because we do care about them, we've been to these places, and we've seen these people.”

The violence doesn't take away the memories and friendships these students made during their time in Israel, in fact, it's only made those relationships stronger.

“They've been seeing us making posts about the U.S, supporting them and having our prayers with them and they really appreciate anyone that sees them and supports them,” Clifton said.

“We don't really have an understanding of what they're going through, but we just try to be here for them and support them,” said Caroline Brandt, a senior at Bethany High School.

We’ve been told most of the students are home in Israel or heading that way and for now we know their families are safe. As for the Bethany group expected to travel to Israel in December, it is unclear is that will happen now.

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On Oct. 7, 2023, the Islamic Resistance Movement, the terror group also known as Hamas, launched a surprise attack on Israel by means of land, air and sea. Hundreds of civilians have been killed as the Israel Defense Forces, or the IDF, attempt to dislodge Hamas combatants.

What is Hamas?

Hamas was founded in 1987, although its origins extend far beyond that. The group is distinct from the Palestine Liberation Organization, another wing of the legislative body that governs Palestine. In 2006, Hamas won the Palestinian legislative election, and has remained in power since.

Canada, the European Union, Israel, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States all consider Hamas to be a terrorist organization, while some countries, such as New Zealand and Paraguay, view only the groups's military wing as such.

Hamas is known to be highly antisemetic, both towards individual Jews and the greater state of Israel.

Where is Gaza?

Gaza, also known as the Gaza Strip, is a Palestinian enclave, meaning it is separated from the rest of the country, on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea.

Sunni Muslims make up the majority of the population of Gaza, although there is a small Christian minority.

Despite being a part of Palestine, Israel has control over much of the Gaza Strip, controlling the areas airspace, seaports and six of the strip's seven land access routes. This control has often deemed Gaza as an "open-air prison."

Has Conflict Erupted In Gaza Before?

In June, 1967, Israeli forces captured the Gaza Strip from Egyptian Forces towards the end of the Six-Day War. The war saw the invasion from, and later expulsion of, the combined forces of Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait from Israeli territory.

On Dec. 27, 2008, following the breakdown of a temporary truce between Israel and Palestine, Israeli fighter jets bombed several locations in Gaza, marking the beginning of the Gaza War. The targets bombed ranged from police stations, schools, hospitals, UN warehouses, and mosques to various other structures. Israel claimed those buildings were being used to house weapons.

Israel said the bombings were a response to Hamas rocket attacks on southern Israel, and on Jan. 3, 2009, a ground invasion of the territory by the IDF began.

Between 1,100 and 1,400 Palestinians, and 13 Israelis were killed before the Gaza War came to an end on Jan. 18, 2009.