Clashes

Muslim women outside
Ecce Homo protesting the
closure of the Mosque

Rioting in our Quarter this morning for some 3 hours. Apparently some jews entered the Al Aqsa esplanade but since it was the eve of Rosh haShana, muslims fear the jew will try (again) to tear down their mosque and rebuild the Temple, so stones were thrown, israeli soldiers fired stun grenades and tear gas ... and  full blown clash enveloped our Quarter. Running battles along our street. We had to close our library windows as grenades were fired directly below.

The Mosque was closed to everyone and muslims were protesting in the streets. As Rosh haShana lasts till Friday evening, I think the Mosque will be closed throughout this time. There's going to be some heated encounters in the streets these few days.

That will make life difficult for me as I need to go out to work. If our street becomes a battle ground, then I'll be locked in. And tear gas will be blowing in. And I'm allergic to it ... and my window faces directly the street. Not good news.

Rosh haShana food

Not going to work doesn't mean that I'll be lazing around at home. Today I managed to correct a 40 page article. Very tiring to the eyes. But it was just as well I stayed home in the afternoon (I went to work in the morning despite the clashes), because I'm suffering from severe diarrhea again. Dreadful cramps that make me double up in pain. And my feet continue to hurt so bad I've been hobbling for 2 days now. Perhaps a little Rosh haShana food will cheer me up. it's customary to eat honey cakes and apples dipped in honey ... a sweet start to the New Year. Pomegranates are also traditional ... they symbolise abundance. Ironically we're experiencing clashes on the New Year ... perhaps things might calm down and everyone's lives get sweeten up this year. Our New Year wish? No more wars.