Pesach

Full moon between
the palms

This evening the Jewish Passover begins .... just as the Samaritan Passover enters its 3rd day. The 2 communities use different calendars to calculate the full moon. Security has been super tight these days. The govt. has decided to close the frontiers with Palestine so as to prevent terrorists from entering Israel during the festival that lasts 8 days. Naturally the Palestinians are not happy as many have to lose their jobs in Israel for this week. Stop searches are also increased in the streets especially surrounding the Old City. Boys as young as 10 are stopped, made to spread eagle against the wall and body-searched just like any adult ... in full view of passersby, tourists and locals. It's very humiliating and engenders more hatred and violence. At least that's what every foreigner here has said to me. Girls are no exception ... they too are searched. This is because several cases of stabbings involved 12 yr old girls. Critics of this hardline treatment of arabs to the Exodus story of the egyptian treatment of the hebrews and their escape which is annually remembered in the Passover or Pesach.

Bedouin women
hawkers

The country will come to a standstill this evening ... because of Pesach in the Jewish side and because it's Prayer Day (Friday) on the Muslim side. Most shops have closed, offices are not functioning, streets emptied by sunset when families gather at home to eat. The open market was opened in the morning but by noon police drove out the hawkers ... clearing the streets just in case a riot broke out and these hawkers impede the police from easy access in and out of the City. In fact the newspapers carried a police warning that they were expecting skirmishes, riots and violence these few days.

Thanks to the all who have sent their greetings, well wishes, prayers and gifts on my birthday and jubilee: Irene Tech, Paulette Santos, Cavero family, K. Wong, Auntie Yvonne, Vincent & Angie, mum & Auntie Cecilia, B. Chan,