Chinatown in Ben Yehudi Mall

HaHistadrut Street becomes Chinatown

A lovely breeze is blowing today which helps make the heat endurable. Evenings are also quite pleasant ... unless if you're living in the Muslim Quarter ... because the noise of Ramadan feasting goes on till 4am. And it gets pretty rowdy in my area. So far this week no fights or scuffles among the gangs or families.

The past 2 days of rioting in the Al Aqsa Mosque has led the police today to bar all non-muslim visitors into the compound till the end of Ramadan. Smart decision. They should have done that earlier. Anyway despite the closure, muslim youths threw stones down at the Wailing Wall, injuring one jewish worshipper.

A dragon!

Further up north in the Lebanese-Syrian border, a christian village was attacked by a suicide bomber. The catholics were in church for a funeral of victims of a previous suicide bombing. This is dreadful. The persecution continues ... and in some places is getting worse. In Palestinian towns, there is a stoppage of water supply because Israel turned off the taps. That's what they claim. Israel says it's because these towns do not have the upgraded facilities to channel the water from Israel. Whatever it is, plants, animals and soon people will be dying of thirst.

Yet nothing is stopping the summer celebration here in Israel. Each lateral street in Ben Yehudi Mall is decked in a different theme. HaHistadrut street is now a little Chinatown. Not just rows of chinese lanterns but one long dragon as well. I wonder what the ultra-orthodox jews think about that ..... idolatry of the 1st degree. Lets see if they'll burn it down.