Stabbing close call

New Gate closed due to attack

This morning I left for Jaffa very early for my medical appointment. It was 4.45am when I walked out in the cold, dark streets to Damascus Gate. On the way I had to pass by the Austrian Hospice where 2 Border Police are always stationed. An hour after that when I arrived in Jaffa I received news that both were stabbed by an arab terrorist. Shocking. They were slightly injured but the terrorist was killed. All I could think about was if I had left an hour later I would have been caught in the middle of it. That shoes how unpredictable life is here in our part of the world. Anyway there was a lockdown in the entire City. Gates were closed and police hunted down other suspects of the crime.    https://www.timesofisrael.com/two-police-officers-said-wounded-in-suspected-old-city-stabbing-attack/

And within a few hours after that attack, another took place near Ramallah. 2 israelis killed and 2 injured in a drive-pass shootout. Just like last week's drive-pass shootout which killed an unborn baby who was buried yesterday. The violence has picked up and everyone is worried this is just the beginning of a bloody winter.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/four-seriously-wounded-in-suspected-terror-shooting-near-ramallah/?fbclid=IwAR0my1m6xIGJreeg7UxKixPxhu9pMSNYBndKjSAoWKfnsRmWRRIeQPee6UI

Jaffa Clock Tower
& Christmas Tree

This morning I arrived at Jaffa at 5.45am. It was cold and drizzling and the wind was so strong and so were the waves. It was roaring in the sea. It looked so fierce in the dark cloudy sky ... the enormous waves bashing the stone barriers along the beach. I celebrated Mass with the community there at 6.45am, then washed the aquarium filters before going to see the doc. It was a painful visit. She wasn't happy with the way the bone transplant was growing after 2 x-rays. It was painful during the examination. Looks like I'll have to go under the knife again soon. In January.

St. Peter's Church at 5am

Anyway I saw the giant Christmas Tree in Old Jaffa next to the iconic Clock Tower. Here there are no orthodox jews to complain, protest and tear it down. It's a christian and muslim section of the City and only secular jews pass by there. Now I'm back in school in Jerusalem. Taught for one and a half hours and now am about to go home after resting in my office. I have a bad headache and I'm very hungry as I ate nothing since yesterday evening ... 20 hours ago.