A deafening silence has befallen the Dharamkot village, popularly known as the mini Israel of Himachal Pradesh, after the Palestinian extremist group Hamas launched a massive attack on the Jewish nation last weekend.
Restaurants serving Israeli cuisine, which used to be packed with Israeli tourists, were mostly empty on Sunday in the village located close to Mcleodganj.
The shock and lament are all the more as the attack came on Saturday, the day of Shabbat, the Jewish New Year holiday.
In Dharamkot, Mohar, a female tourist from Ashdod city in southern Israel, said the damage has been many times more than what is being shown in the news channels.
She said very little is being shown on news channels but the photos and videos sent by her friends and family on social media apps are appalling.
She said even children have not been spared.
Mohar is also worried about the street fighting between Palestinian fighters and Israelis as it is taking place between civilians and not between the armies.
Mohar said he has talked to his family members but they are not safe.
A woman, who identified herself as Yela, said her family is safe but two sisters of one of her friends and four other family members have been killed in this attack.
Some Israelis have started returning to Delhi and some have asked travel agents to change their air ticket bookings.
Some restaurant owners of Dharamkot have expressed their condolences on the terrorist attack in Israel by putting on the tallit – a fringed garment worn as a prayer shawl by religious Jews.
The people here have been expressing their solidarity with Israel on the wall of their social media accounts.
Mira, a resident of Tel Aviv, thanked India for the support given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel after the Hamas attacks.
Where a few days ago, Israelis were celebrating Rosh-Hashana and having parties in Dharamkot, the mood is sombre today.
Travel agent Prem Sagar said that young Israeli tourists have booked a bus to Delhi this evening. Soon the remaining Israeli tourists will also return.
Dharamkot resident and President of McLeodganj Trade Board, Narendra Pathania said: We all are hurt by the massacre that took place in Israel. our support is with Israel in this hour of grief.
He said the fight will also affect the businesses here. There will be fewer Israeli tourists shortly.
Dharamkot is known as Tel Aviv of the Hills.
It is the only village in Himachal to have a Jewish community centre.
The Chabad House provides all facilities for Israeli tourists and serves as a place of worship.
(With UNI inputs)
