Drama

Accident ...
road closed

What a dramatic 24 hours. A car rammed into some people in front of Damascus Gate and at first everyone thought it was a terrorist attack. Police were swarming the place, the main road was closed off, the traffic jam behind was unbelievable. I just happened to be at Damascus Gate at that moment. I thought it would result in bigger violence. Thank goodness it was quickly determined that it was only an accident.

Well you can't balme us because not only is Hamas in Gaza warning of an impending war, this morning even the Israeli arm forces are warning the same thing because Gaza is collapsing from lack of basic essentials. The situation is so bad things will come to a head.   https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-israeli-military-chief-gaza-on-verge-of-collapse-bringing-war-closer-1.5788886

The old train station

Then there's a a video going viral ... it shows a robbery in broad daylight in Nazareth. While a driver was unloading boxes of cigarettes for a shop when 2 masked men held him up and stole thousands of shekels worth of cigarettes. It's frightening as they carried guns.

Then 2 hours ago the new flashed that an israeli rabbi was stabbed to death in the central bus station of the town of Ariel. The assailant is still on the loose. There's going to be a huge manhunt tonight and all the neighbouring villages will be raided. We're not told if the assailant is jewish or arab though the police fond his ID in the backpack he left behind. More tensions will rise. It all seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy ... a war is imminent.

Old rail tracks

Well yesterday was a busy day. I had to end work quickly at midday to join a group of students because one of them who is sick will be leaving for home. Then at 4pm I had to bring 2 other students to visit the Iron Age tombs on Bible Hill and then the Byzantine ruins of the Hill of Evil Counsel. Being winter, it got dark by 5pm. We ended our excursion at the old train station which is now converted into an entertainment park with lots of pubs and restaurants. It's really a delightful place ... a family playground with carousels, game corners and lovely lights. The old rail tracks are still preserved and the old wooden station is also well preserved, integrated with modern architecture and reused as shops and restaurants. It's a really good work of conservation that pays itself. Self-sustaining conservation.

It was a nice end to an otherwise upsetting day of violence.