Pests

The squabble of religious jews to close down all  or most shops on the Sabbath is reaching a tense stage where cities across the country are taking sides. The patriotic zionist party is pushing this agenda forcefully ... even threatening to close shops that are legally authorised to open. Secular jews vow to fight back. It's going to be a long summer .....  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/tel-aviv-city-hall-weighs-changing-laws-to-let-shops-remain-open-on-saturdays.premium-1.532240

A plate of fresh herbs
as natural insect
repellent

On a happy note, my friend Firas graduated from the university yesterday. It's a big step for him. And we were all happy for him when we joined in the convocation. It was a very long affair with speeches after speeches ... and nobody paid any attention. Everyone was talking and eating and snapping photos.  Anyway now he must start looking for a job ... and that's the tough part. No more talk ... just work.

I noticed there's a stepped-up military presence in and around the City but I'm not sure why. There must have been a tip-off. Anyway we're into the first week of renovations and already I'm totally exhausted. I take my job seriously because everyone else in school depend on me to get the job done by the next school semester. No more delays allowed. What a struggle when you have to call and call the workers everyday to come to work, push them to work when every hour there's a coffee break. keep them working when they want to stop work at 2pm. I am exhausted. I really really need a break.

And the mosquitoes are not helping ... those pesky insects spread germs that cause huge painful boils after they bite. I'm using herbs as a natural repellent. If only this could also solve all those pesky problems of this summer .....

Israeli lychees or is really lychees?

More unease in the news. For example the ultra-orthodox Jews are now forcing a shopping mall in another part of town to close down on the Sabbath. That's causing alot of conflict with the secular residents who want to enjoy a day out. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/jerusalem-neighborhood-becomes-flashpoint-for-religious-conflict.premium-1.531931  Apparently the enforced closure of shopping malls is because the rabbis are afraid their flock would be out and about on the Sabbath and the rabbis start losing their influence (hence income) on their flock.

Another twist to the enforced closure of shops is in Tel Aviv. This time is not being pushed by rabbis but by religious shop-owners who close on Sabbath and say they're losing out financially to supermarkets that open on the Sabbath. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/court-orders-tel-aviv-municipality-to-close-stores-on-shabbat-or-change-the-law.premium-1.531998

Fundamentally in both above arguments to enforce closure of all shops on the Sabbath ... the fundamental issue is MONEY, and not "keeping holy the Sabbath". Mammon is much more powerful here.

On the christian front, a storm is brewing over a Greek Orthodox priest in Nazareth who's advocating military service for arab christians. For him and other advocates, it means better integration of arabs into Israeli society and benefits all round (financial, medical, educational). For opponents it means serving in the oppressor's army which tantamounts to treason. http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Priest-under-fire-for-prompting-Arab-national-service-317712

Is really lychees?

Even the simple lychee has got its problems. Israel has cultivated its own hybrid of lychees and supermarkets are selling them profusely. Well sooner or later the rabbis are going to declare lychees non kosher. But even before that, we've got a poor hybrid whose skin is brittle like sun-baked plastic. It snaps when you squeeze the fruit. Next problem is it's terribly sour. A little tangy but dreadfully sour. Israeli scientists need to work on that. So the joke around town is: Israeli lychees or is really lychees?

Fr, Francois Mourad - martyr R.I.P.

Lots of happenings this weekend. Another hate vandalism perpetrated against arabs by jewish extremists. Again the govt. insists it's not a crime ... but I noticed on the same newspaper that a graffiti on a jewish tombstone was an anti-semitic crime. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/tires-slashed-graffiti-sprayed-in-fourth-suspected-price-tag-attack-in-a-month-1.531662

The weather continues to be oppressively hot but the nights are very chilly. Creates an atmosphere of great unease physically and beyond ...

The supermoon over
the walls of Jerusalem

We received the shocking and sad news that Fr Francois Mourad, a young 49 yr old priest was killed by Syrian rebels in our franciscan monastery in Ghassanieh village on Sunday. The monastery was robbed and destroyed. Friars from a nearby city came to bury Fr Francois and moved the Rosary sisters out of the village to safer towns.

The supermoon gloated over Jerusalem on Sunday night ... to many it was a wondrous sight ... but for us it was a sign in heaven that Fr Francois was in paradise ... a martyr

Assaf Assaf Assaf

Signs of a bad summer ... so the police say. That's because a Sudanese man went on a stabbing spree in Tel Aviv this morning. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/sudanese-man-stabs-six-people-in-south-tel-aviv.premium-1.531478

So they're predicting a summer of more violence. And that comes in the wake of the jewish man shot dead at the Wailing Wall for shouting "Allahu akbar".  Now we have news that Israeli soldiers confiscate a portable toilet from a bedouin family because it was an "illegal" structure. The toilet was meant to serve a handicap family member. What next ..... ?

When the karub-tea
seller is in the streets, you
know everything is well

But Palestinians have no time for violence .. at least for the moment. Last night saw Palestinian boy Muhammed Assaf win the Arab Idol contest in Lebanon. The whole territories was celebrating with fireworks and parties in the streets. The incredible odds Assaf had to undergo in order to leave extremist muslim Gaza to get to Lebanon has left a deep impression on all the poor palestinians that they too can make something out of themselves, overcome difficulties and make their dreams come true. So right now the only word in every arab's mouth is "Assaf" and his winning song is playing non-stop in the streets. A little joy ... so much welcomed in this sad country with a people who have lost hope.

Not a good Friday

The past two days was an internet fast ... lines were cut and/or mismatched to rooms and offices. Total chaos. For one brief half hour I had access again yesterday but someone pulled my line and I lost contact again. Absolute frustration.

On the larger scale, the country is not fairing better. This morning a Jewish man at the Wailing Wall started screaming "Allahu akbar" and was immediately shot and killed by Israeli police. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/security-guard-shoots-kills-jewish-israeli-man-at-western-wall-1.531167  Yesterday there were scuffles in the Al Aqsa mosque compound when a jewish man attacked muslim officers.

Then the UN accuses Israel of torturing Palestinian children in jail. http://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/UN-Israel-tortures-detained-Palestinian-children-317210

Canary chick hatching
this morning

And Costa Rica accuses Israel for harvesting live organs from an international ring  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israeli-mds-harvesting-organs-for-international-trafficking-ring.premium-1.530848

And arabs and christian victims of jewish hate vandalism - following the spate of fires on churches, mosques and cars, graffiti etc for the past 2 years - cannot claim compensation from the State because these are not considered "crimes". http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/palestinians-targeted-in-hate-crimes-left-to-cover-costs-unrecognized-by-israel-as-terror-victims.premium-1.530991  But if it were done against jews, then it is a crime. Unbelievable right?

Palestine is not faring better as it's PM resigns just after one week in office.

So it's a Friday of bad news. The poor canary chick that was hatching this morning hasn't the slightest clue what world it's entering

Dogbite

Tonight is the school barbecue that closes the academic year for most of the students. Not fun as the courtyard is tiny and will be filled with smoke. We'll be choking more than eating. I might just avoid it as I don't want an asthma attack. Had to keep the canaries near the choir away from the smoke and noise and Mr Bird is back in my room for some peace. Tonight is mainly an occasion to say goodbye to the final year students.

Beryl's arm and the dog
bite

Joseph Li is returning to Hebei after completing one year of studies here with us. Beryl also completed her volunteer service in our museum and is returning to Hong Kong. We went out for dinner at Mandarin's but as usual with my busy schedule, I had to ran off midway to meet a group. My exhaustion is beyond description. Anyway Beryl was bitten by a dog on Mt Tabor, but even worse were the mosquito bites. Her legs have broken out in boils. I hope she sees a doctor. Anyway thanks to your generosity, Joseph was able to come and do his studies. He's very intelligent and I'm sure he'll be a great help when he returns to Hebei to teach.

Haaretz today reports that the Israeli Police have expressed pessimism in catching or preventing anti-christian / hate vandalism after 2 and a half years since the first attack occurred. Wow ... so how do we feel secure? http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-police-officer-tells-haaretz-war-on-price-tag-attacks-far-from-over.premium-1.530744   "Police officials believe that the main problem is the complete lack of deterrence among young right-wing activists. The officer added that a series of solved crimes would restore the feeling that the rule of law prevailed. He said that in addition to the radical settler youth that grew up in the West Bank, there is also a generation of copycats, mainly teenage dropouts that engage in less sophisticated activity but who draw encouragement and a feeling of immunity because police have failed to track them down."

Thanks

Grateful thanks to Mavien, Francesco, the Little People, Mabel Shek, St Joseph's Ladies Guild, anonymous and Rose Chiu for the food and gifts.

Also belated thanks to the April group for bringing the gifts over from : Ma Po Ling and Anthony, Rose Chiu, Bertha (Rosary Church),Kwok Yee Shan (Martin's group) and Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church.

Have a pathetic day

So the PM today paid lip-service to yesterday's hate vandalism by denouncing it as un-Jewish. Stop. No call for police to follow up, no promise to catch the culprits ... this form of condescension (a consolation  pat on the back) has reached a point of insult. But arabs and christians don't have the guts to protest or push for their rights either. Pathetic.

Meanwhile Haaretz came up with an article on the security of the Old City: there are 320 security cameras watching your every move the moment you enter the Old City till the second you leave it. Nice to know .... hmmmm so how come they can't use it to identify hate-crime vandals? Pathetic.

A sunrise that promises nothing

But the weather is changing for the better. Now that's a plus. And many arab muslim friends are getting married quick ... before Ramadan begins on 10th July. A couple of my friends were married last week. Good for them. But when you don't have a job, or a house (still living with parents) or an Identity Card ... getting married may not be as blissful as you think. Wife is stuck in the Palestinian Territories while husband lives in Israel. Stressful .... and pathetic.

So much for today ... can't wait for the sun to set and see how much worse tomorrow will be.

Elusive peace

More hate vandalism perpetrated this week  http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Police-investigate-alleged-price-tag-attack-316649  ... and still no one arrested. It's been going on for 2 years now and finally we have an answer ... a judge complained that the police "creates far too many hitches in bringing detainees to court, and this [example] is far from unusual." Wow ...  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/judge-slams-west-bank-police-for-hitches-in-bringing-jewish-suspects-to-court.premium-1.530042

And the young zionist govt. leader Bennett has practically called an end to the 2 State solution (Israel and Palestine) and for Israel to take over parts of Palestine. Not a good sign ... recipe for a war.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/idea-of-a-two-state-solution-has-reached-dead-end-bennett-says.premium-1.530310

Olive trees are flowering .... but it's
a symbol of an elusive peace

And hostile attitudes are not just found in the political arena. The candidature of Chief Rabbi is up for discussion and one candidate is being verbally then physically attacked by rival rabbis' followers. The ex-Chief Rabbi fired the first shot and publicly criticising the candidate's character and that started the snowball rolling. Last night the rabbi candidate was physically attacked during a wedding.  http://www.jpost.com/Jewish-World/Jewish-News/Chief-rabbinate-candidate-attacked-at-wedding-316798  

Meantime while most primary and secondary schools have started the summer holidays, higher institutions are in the midst of exams. Graduation ceremonies and parties are being organised in many restaurants and hotels. A big step for these young people who'll start life in the real world ... jobless, taxes, high prices .... good luck to them.

So the summer starts with these troubling thoughts. Peace is still as ever elusive here. 

Summer Attractions

The past 2 days saw Israel's first ever Formula One race. The traffic jams it caused was beyond any imagination. As Jerusalem has no straight road longer than 1km, the route had to use the tiny one-lane curving streets all around the Old City toward Bethlehem and back. Unbelievable.

And the series of other summer events are rolling into place. This summer is the most exciting we've ever had. So many things going on to see and hear, it's leaving us breathless. I think all these festivities will end in October with the annual Crusader festival inside the Old City. Always loved that one.

Sunset over Andromeda's Rock
in Jaffa 2 days ago

Jerusalem is not the only spot for summer activities. Tel Aviv has its own festivities as well ... and while Jerusalem has its antiquities as highlight, Tel Aviv has its beaches. That usually means Tel Aviv usually hosts events for younger crowds while Jerusalem hosts family-oriented events. Be that as it may ... my highlights of both cities are different: Jerusalem has the best sunrise and Tel Aviv the best sunsets. Go see it for yourself! And by the way Psi is coming to do his Gangnam style in one of the summer events. The Ministry of Tourism is really desperate here.

I'm not so sure I'll be able to enjoy all the summer festivities though. Feeling ill most of the time - nausea and diarrhea again, and the awful asthma is not letting up. Have been left a little off-key the last few days. During the days I have so much work to do - from studies to translations to overseeing the library renovation to giving conferences. It's going to be one long tiring summer.

Festival of Lights

The summer holidays have begun with the fantastic annual Festival of Lights. Following this is the Formula One race (goodness knows how the cars can race through the tiny streets of Jerusalem) and a host of many other events.

The crowds in and around the Old City are growing each night, coming to see the Lights. Here are some pics of the exhibits

Fountain of Light

Christian Quarter Street decked
with chandeliers

Crusader Cardo in lights

Crusader Cardo is electric

A giant music-box dancer

3 floating whales over Mamilla Mall

Damascus Gate "painted" with
japanese cherry blossoms

Summer holidays begin

The scorching heat is not letting up and israeli schools begin summer holidays today. That usually summer camp for most of those kids who can afford it. And for those who can't, the parents are in a quandery as they must work ... and leaving the kids at home is always a worry. I wish church  institutes can organise summer camps or at least day camps which are more affordable for the poor; after all it's the economically poor parents who have to work 2 or 3 jobs a week rthat need this child-caring service the most. A month's camp could be as high as US$1000 ... and this is way beyond the means of a poor family. This of course refers to the eastern side (arab) of the City.

At the bazaar: a stilt walker dressed
as an ostrich rider

On the western side (jewish), the municipality has already organised lots of activities. Yesterday was a bazaar at Safra Square; in the evening there was a concert with a talent quest for young footballers below 21. And starting tomorrow night, all through the week, is the annual Festival of Lights. This year it'll be more spectacular and vast in area - covering the 3 quarters of the Old City (the muslim quarter is left out).

My asthma which lightened up for a couple of weeks, is back with a vengeance. Suffocating most mornings, need 4-6 puffs of Flixotide and Ventolin mix. Makes me dizzy afterwards.

The situation in Syria is sending jitters in our country but it'll not dampen the summer holiday spirit. Anyway the sun is too hot to go out and fight. I foresee a quiet summer this year in the military front. Quiet .. except for the asthma wheezing. That is a major war in itself.

Earthquake

A 4.8 earthquake struck southern Israel earlier today. It's along the rift valley that the Jordan River is a part ... but it struck way down in the Red Sea city of Eilat. Perhaps this tectonic shift will move northwards and hit the Dead Sea/Jericho area soon ....

As expected, the vandal attack on Mt Zion yesterday is no longer covered by the newspapers and there are no police reports or municipality reassurances ... it's simply forgotten.

St Peter's under renovation

The weather is terribly hot ... 32 degrees today with no wind. But it's not stopping Mainland chinese groups from coming. They are so numerous now there's not enough chinese guides to bring them. One group from WenZhou came today without a guide. They got a chinese student from Rome to come and "explain" the places though she doesn't know the churches nor how to get there. Awful. Well they certainly won't see St Peter's church in Jaffa. It's closed due to major renovation works.