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New Gate decorations
for Palm Sunday |
It's Palm Sunday and at 8am there was a riot at the Al Aqsa Mosque esplanade. Countless shots of stun grenades were fired at muslim rioters. Word is some jews entered the area to celebrate the Passover but muslim worshippers began pelting stones and Molotov cocktails. Another rumour says the riot was organised to provoke the police to close St. Stephen's Gate hence canceling the Palm Sunday Procession. Whatever it is, the shooting and rioting lasted for almost half an hour. Now the Mosque area is closed off to everyone till further notice. Palm Sunday procession from Bethpage will continue under heavy military protection. New Gate - which is the gate leading into the Christian Quarter - is decorated with palm branches. Very nice and simple ... with a huge (anticipated) welcome to the pope.
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Leaven bread and cookies
sold in the strets |
The Jewish Passover is also starting soon. Shops selling leaven have started cleaning up and any stock leftover of bread and cookies are sold in the streets. This is to avoid contaminating the shops with leaven which is against the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
The streets in and out of the Old City are simply packed with people. I've decided not to join the Palm Sunday procession. I don't need any more stress than I already have. I'm staying home.
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