Christmas round the corner

Street artist in
Via Dolorosa

The weather was again sunny and there was no threat of rain. But it was very cold ... about 8 degrees during the day but it felt very much lower. Youths took advantage of this sunny day by practising (or showing off) their parkour skills in the park outside Damascus Gate. Old people thickly clothed, sat out in the sun. Businesses were set up in and outside the City Gate. And a foreign artist sat along the Via Dolorosa painting street scene.

My shoulder has been hurting the last 2 nights, perhaps because of the biting cold. Coincidentally this morning there was an article in the news discussing shoulder pain. Looks like I tore a ligament ... from what I read about the symptoms and pain. Anyway the article advised immediate medical attention. Hospital again? No way. I'm not going just yet. I do dread nighttime though. I feel so tired and need so much sleep but the pain keeps me awake. I barely sleep 3 hours a day.

Meantime, the Israeli and Palestinian security forces, in a rare act of unity, are co-ordinating their actions on a massive scale for one of the largest pilgrimages this Christmas. Expected to enter Bethlehem (Palestine) are 35,000 people and just as many Palestinian christians will be coming out to Jerusalem (Israel) instead to celebrate Christmas. Checkpoint crossings will be relaxed and free shuttle buses from Jerusalem are being offered by the Municipality. It's a little sign of hope for us. But please ... right at the back of all this is money ... tourist money. http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Police-finalize-Christmas-security-for-pilgrims-476031

Tel Aviv on the other hand is preparing to celebrate Chrismukkah ... Christmas and Hanukkah on the same day. Should be interesting. This can never ever happen here in Jerusalem because the ultra-orthodox control the City and consider Christmas as a menacing idolatrous threat to Judaism.

After the call by many isarelis to intervene in the tragedy in Aleppo, the PM announced he's ready to take syrian casualties. Israeli doctors have asked to be allowed into the syrian border to treat the wounded. This is a good sign. Very humanitarian. http://virtualjerusalem.com/news.php?Itemid=24586