Residents of a small community in southern Israel are looking on with envy as American soldiers lounge and swim in their pool. The fenced-off swimming pool, once intended for members and guests of the local hotel, is no longer theirs.
“This is a directive from the political echelon,” the kibbutz tells visitors. “There is an instruction that the pool is only for the American soldiers.”
The community secretariat told residents: “In light of the questions, we will explain and clarify that the directive from the U.S. Embassy is for complete separation between soldiers and civilians, and therefore the changes regarding the pool’s operation. We are in dialogue with the hotel management in an attempt to find alternatives and solutions, and will update if there are any changes.”
So far, that has not happened.
The kibbutz pool
(Photo: Ilana Curiel)
At first, residents were concerned about the soldiers’ presence in the pool for personal reasons. “I have young daughters, and it is not appropriate for American soldiers to be walking around like that with them,” one resident said. The solution found was that the residents and the Americans would never meet. Separation.
The result: only one side gets the pool, and the Americans won. They move comfortably around the large, quiet pool, undisturbed by the noisy Israelis — residents or outside guests. “Precisely in the summer there is no pool? My children are furious!” one resident said.
Residents are trying to negotiate with the company that operates the pool at the adjacent hotel, right next to their homes. The community secretariat updated them that “in a meeting with the company, it was made clear that the pool is essential to the fabric of life here. Company representatives promised to get back to us with an answer after another check with the Americans within a few days. We will continue to act tirelessly until we exhaust our rights.”
The secretariat also wrote that “we view the decision to close the pool to residents as a blatant and serious violation of the agreements and partnership between us. Upon receiving the notice from the company operating the pool, we have been working to find a solution and alternatives with them and are being accompanied by the community’s lawyers in order to handle the matter in the best possible way. We understand the anger and share the feelings arising from the public. We view the incident as a serious blow to our quality of life and are dealing with it with full force.”
“The harm is to everyone, from the oldest to the youngest,” one resident said. Perhaps, after another meeting and another conversation, the Americans may relent and agree to share the pool, the resident hopes.
The company operating the pool said in response: “In light of the nature of the hosting during this period, a temporary operational adjustment was required that did not allow residents to enter the hotel grounds. However, immediately after the decision was made, we made sure to provide residents with the best possible alternative — use of the water park adjacent to the kibbutz, which includes a pool and facilities. This is a temporary arrangement only, and we are acting out of a desire to allow the hosting to continue while preserving the good and longstanding relationship with the community, whose members are dear to us.”