Thursday, August 10, 2017

Summer madness

Sombreros in the street
The heatwave continues to beat down on us and we're practically in midsummer. I don't know if I can survive more heat for the next 2 months. It's the 3rd heatwave to hit us in a month and with a drought year declared and waters in the Galilee Lake at its lowest so far ... things don't look too good for us. It's so hot even the road barriers need to wear sombreros .... something that can happen only in Tel Aviv.

Tu B'Av was celebrated last Monday. It's the jewish equivalent to Valentine's Day but I noticed it was much more subdued this year than in previous years. Perhaps it's the poor economy that's affecting the people from celebrating. And there wasn't much love going around either. The Israeli army seized and confiscated solar panels from an arab bedouin school even though the High Court issued a restraining order for the confiscation. http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.806053

And there's also little love in the Palestinian side when the Palestinian leader cut finance and permits for very sick Gazans from seeking help outside of war-torn Gaza. Absolutely deplorable when politics play with human lives.  http://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinian-authority-slashes-permits-for-sick-gazans-un-health-body-says/

Armoured Personnel Carriers in
front of Notre Dame
And to top it all up ... this evening I saw armoured personnel carriers rumbling up our main street ... a awful sight ... the last time I saw such war machines on our roads was during the 1st Intifada 25 years ago. It rings alarm bells and jostles memories of the dreadful times. I think the heatwave must be responsible for all this madness today. I shall try to keep way out of trouble and out of the heat. Stay indoors. That's the best advice.