"Tel Abib, Tel Abib, Tel Abib- Ashdod"

Several weeks ago I was waiting in the Beer Sheva bus station for the bus to Jerusalem. No sooner had I arrived at the proper platform then the crowd began shuffling its way towards the exit mumbling and grumbling the entire time. I turn to the soldier next to me and ask what happened. He rolled his eyes responding: someone forgot their bag.

And so we all mill around on the other side of the street as the security guards continue to shout at old deaf ladies and cocky teenagers to cross the road, as vendors walk around trying to sell their merchandise and sherut drivers calling for passengers "Tel Abib, Tel Abib, Tel Abib" with two young men rounding out the chant with a hearty "Ashdod" just to spite the drivers.

A suspicious bag. The entire bus station has to be evacuated while the police investigate. At a station like Beer Sheva where there is no bag check or security at the entrances, this occurrence is all too frequent. Israelis have grown accustomed to this routine. But more significantly, they view it as a nuisance rather than a security threat. It has thankfully been quiet in recent years and society has grown complacent. Security is lax if not nonexistent altogether. Can we afford to let our guard down?