Had a tiring day yesterday ... should have ended with a visit to a group in the hotel but police began closing down the City due to Laylat al Qadr. Multiple blockades from our house to Damascus Gate and even into Nablus Road. Incredible. You can feel the tension as men below 50 yrs stood at the barriers jeering, arguing and provoking the soldiers who barred them from entering the Old City.
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Muslims praying in
Via Dolorosa |
As I tried to get home, through the multiple blockades (they let foreigners through), Via Dolorosa was totally blocked by praying crowds of muslims who were forbidden to enter Al Aqsa Mosque. As the prayers ended, riot police charged to disperse the crowds. Stun grenades were fired. Crowds retaliated with stones and fistfights. Then more stun grenades and shootings from inside the Al Aqsa esplanade, all the area of Bab Hutta, big fire behind St Anne's church, all the way to Herod's Gate and into Damascus Gate. Running battles. Even right now, 3 hours after the prayers, there's massive shooting in front of our house ... actually directly below my window.
And to make matters worse, I developed an allergic reaction to something. Whole body breaking out in rashes. I managed to stop an asthma attack though. Just took an antihistamine but not sure if it works. And the heat is stifling. Plus the war outside my house ..... it's a perfect recipe for being sick.
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