Stay updated with breaking news from Eli Abeles. Get real-time updates on events, politics, business, and more. Visit us for reliable news and exclusive interviews.
Hundreds of buildings, the tallest eight stories high, built inside military base to mimic Palestinian village in order to prepare infantry troops for urban warfare with the hopes of averting unnecessary fatalities
In maze of tight alleyways and drab buildings, decorated by army's sole official graffiti artist, soldiers hone skills needed for conflict in Gaza Strip, West Bank or even Lebanon
The Muslim call to prayer echoes through a remote town in southern Israel that has known only war
The Muslim call to prayer echoes through a remote town in southern Israel that has known only war. Its 500 buildings, the tallest eight stories high, are deserted. Its narrow alleys are adorned with murals and posters honoring slain Palestinian fighters. It cannot be found on any map. Officially, it is known as the Urban Warfare Training Center, but the Israeli soldiers who run military drills here call it “Mini Gaza.” The Israeli army began building the US$45 million facility in the Zeelim army base in 2005, toward the end of the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli r...