'Crats': rodents harass Israeli soldiers

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | December 31, 2003

[dead]

Israeli soldiers stationed in the tense West Bank city of Hebron have recently been battling an enemy they define as more scary then Palestinian militants: enormous rats.

The rats, lured by piles of garbage in Hebron's streets, have become so daring they have even infiltrated military barracks and bitten at least two heavily armed combat soldiers - one in the ear and the other on the lip, the Israeli newspaper Maariv reported.

The rodents have grown so large that soldiers are calling them the Hebrew equivalent of "crats" due to their increasing similarity to the stray cats, Maariv reported.

The army declined to comment on the reported injuries to soldiers. It released a statement saying it is dealing with the problem with pesticides and traps, and that it is trying to coordinate garbage collection with the Palestinian Authority.

"In the past few weeks the rats have been more frightening then the terrorists," one unidentified soldier quoted by Maariv said.

Hebron is divided into Palestinian and Israeli-controlled zones. Israeli soldiers guard the Jewish enclaves, where about 450 settlers live, surrounded by 130,000 Palestinians. Friction between the two communities is frequent.

Hebron Mayor Mustafa Natche said garbage sometimes piles up in the Israeli-controlled area of the city for several days before Palestinian garbage collectors receive permission from the army to enter and clear it away.

"This is, of course, affecting the health of Israelis and Palestinians living in the area," Natche said.

AP

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

That's nothing. I killed a Rat the size of a Collie in Haifa with a stick and pure determination.

Damn proud of it too. They ain't easy to catch, corner or beat down.

[AppyPappy]

All you need is a big ass cat.

[E Rocc]

The rodents have grown so large that soldiers are calling them the Hebrew equivalent of "crats" due to their increasing similarity to the stray cats, Maariv reported.

As in Demo-Crats? Quite appropriate.

-Eric

[keithtoo]

[jtminton]

one in the ear and the other on the lip

I sure would like to know how THAT happened. "Hey, 50 sheckles says you can't kiss that crat over there. . ."

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

No cats allowed on Naval Destroyers.

Although I hear they are letting all sorts of stuff onboard ships nowadays.

[Last Dakotan]

Another name for cat - starts with "p".
Might be your CO.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Maybe you met my Captain from the USS Elliot? He used to cry on the 1MC (intercom) when he talked about us doing things well.

Hey, I cry sometimes. When I hit my thumb with a hammer or slam my shin into a piece of diamond plate at the gym, and even when I see the networks call the election for Gore. But when I was talking about cleaning berthing spaces I never cried.

Whined and bitched maybe but no tears were shed.

It was funny when my dad came to ride the ship back from Hawaii to San diego and the Captain was addressing all the Tiger Cruise folks and he started balling his eyes out, my Dad looks over at me and I just say plain as day, "oh, he's just crying. He does that all the time."

[Last Dakotan]

Sad, sad, sad.

[knighthawk]

an AraRAT?

[trebb]

That's nothing. I killed a Rat the size of a Collie in Haifa with a stick and pure determination

The rats in Korea got pretty big and they were determined, but none of them carried sticks... ;-)

[SpinyNorman]

How big do they have to get before you call them members of Hamas?

[wysiwyg]

...soldiers are calling them the Hebrew equivalent of "crats"...

The soldiers are armed, aren't they?! Crats? I'd call 'em "Target practice."