Tables turned

The Old City is closed off today. For the first time in 20 years I've seen the New Gate, usually one of the more relaxed points of exit/entrance, actually blocked off with a cordon and heavy police/military presence standing guard. Only inhabitants of the Old City and arabs over 55 yrs of age may enter the City. At Damascus Gate the scene was like straight out of a war. Blockades and soldiers everywhere, with crowds of arabs standing outside demanding to enter. Same case at Herod's Gate. Down at St Stephan's' Gate, cars and trucks were turned away. Any motorist allowed to enter had to surrender their identity cards to the soldiers. They can collect them only when they exit the City. One soldier - an arab christian from Mughar - told me the closure will continue for 4 days till Tuesday.

Uneasy calm in Jerusalem - that's how Haaretz describes the situation today.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1156063.html 

A strange twist yesterday when it was the Jews who threw stones at Arabs at the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Usually it's the other way round.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel/Article.aspx?id=170858