Was in hospital for a couple of days. Symptoms appeared to be the flu coupled with an allergic reaction but after tests at the Emergency Room, the docs say it's a severe allergic reaction plus exhaustion. Am under heavy medication. And I lost my voice. And work has been accumulating. I start at 4am each day and end by midnight ... mostly without a meal. The mental exhaustion is even worse than the physical.The wave of violence continues ... not like the previous Intifada when co-ordinated attacks occurred. It's still lone wolf attacks, sporadic and often involving youths below 20 yrs of age. But recently a few attacks involved guns and explosives. Police and soldiers have tightened control in and outside the Old City but it is not stopping thee attacks. Everyone is saying the Israeli military is not prepared for this new method of aggression. Newspapers have been analyzing this phenomenon and say it's the result of frustration by youths who see they have no future. The political stalemate has left many young people without school, work or freedom of movement. The youngest in jail is a 12 yr old girl who tried to stab a soldier.
People try to get on with their lives despite all the blockades, stop-and-search and other inconveniences. It's not easy But the sense of hopelessness hangs heavily. "What can we do?" is the answer. Streets are now filled with Spring fruit such as strawberries but few families can afford to buy them now that work restrictions have tightened, cost of living skyrocket and everyone is barely getting by day by day. This year looks miserable.
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