Major
Orian Pundak is the commander of an observation company in the Gaza
Division’s Northern Brigade. Her soldiers keep a close eye on the
border, preventing attacks and protecting the quiet.
All
hours of the day, seven days a week, the Gaza Division’s Nesher
Observation Battalion keeps a close eye on the Gaza Strip. Major Orian
Pundak, a company commander in the battalion, admits that there are no
shortage of challenges when it comes to being the IDF’s eyes in the field.
However, after two years in her position, she knows that her soldiers’
work has prevented attacks and kept the civilians in the region safe.
For soldiers who spend every day watching the Gaza Strip, it is clear that the picture has changed since Operation Pillar of Defense. “The [Gaza] Strip appears very bucolic and placid, but even amid the calm we search out those who intend to attack,”
Maj. Pundak said. “The challenge is to understand what will happen in
the future. Even during the relative quiet, to understand that on the
other side there will be someone looking to violate it.”
The
feeling among the observation soldiers, according to Maj. Pundak, is
that the quiet in the sector depends largely on the work they do every
day. “Everybody wants to feel that what they do is important, and [the
observation soldiers] truly deserve that self-recognition. When you are
stationed at an observation post, you are responsible for ensuring that
the civilians in their homes can live in quiet. It is a great
responsibility but also privilege to say: I have defended my state,” she
said.
In the course of recent years, the IDF’s observation capabilities have seen significant technological upgrades. Among the changes have been the implementation of surveillance systems that integrate firepower capabilities, and the introduction of cutting-edge new radar systems.
The IDF's Granite Tactical Vehicle
“Our
surveillance apparatus is growing and becoming more powerful in light
of the fact that its centrality in the battlefield is well understood,”
Maj. Pundak explained. “The observation soldiers should be the first to
raise the alarm about every unusual incident in the sector. We need to
remain alert to every minor change in the field – to always think about
where the next attack will come from or where they will try to
infiltrate. We are always prepared for the next incident, there is no
time for rest.”
Despite the advanced technology,
there is no replacement for human eyes. “No machine will be able to
determine whether a shepherd who crosses every day is planting an
explosive. You need the person behind the machine, who will operate with
understanding and exercise judgement – the person who will be able to
see what is different from day to day and if something appears to be not
quite right,” she said.
“In
Operation Pillar of Defense, in the time of war, we faced many great
challenges,” Maj. Pundak recalled. “Suddenly we saw our work during an
emergency, how we could assist so many forces that needed us. I felt
that the hard work paid off and that we were ready to face those
challenges.”
No comments:
Post a Comment