Thomas Beckett day

Christmas lights in the arab side of
town

The weather continues to be cold and gloomy ... typical of winter. Highest temp at daytime is only 9 degrees. Up in the Golan Heights, it's snowing. It should rain here in Jerusalem but it's only drizzling. Though I need to go out and do some chores ... I've kept myself in my room. The bronchitis is still not over so I'm not taking any chances. But it has improved a lot though. Anyway it's the feast of St. Thomas Beckett, Archbishop of Canterbury murdered in the cathedral.

Police on alert

Yesterday 2 great contributors to the humanities died: Sr. Wendy Beckett the hermit who became a famous art critic; and Amos Oz, Israeli's greatest writer and conscience of the country. I've been watching Sr. Wendy's series on art yesterday. She was a student of J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Lord of the Rings and translator of the Jerusalem Bible in english.

There were several scuffles in the Old City the past few days. Police presence has been stepped up. There is a palpable tension in the atmosphere but thankfully the rains disperses everyone and keeps enemies at bay.

A shocking report by British commissions reveal that 215 million christians around the world faced persecution in 2018. This is by far the largest number of christian persecution this century.  Well no one is doing anything about it. The christian conscience of Europe is dead ... christianity in Europe is dead. https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/Britain-commissions-review-of-Christian-persecution-worldwide-575721?fbclid=IwAR15IGWjNBHszD0QHArqBnJMwgjJWaVnbBRSl43h9NmnbWJd6-6o0C4897M

The talk about town ... the eastern side of town that is ... is laughing at Netanyahu being played out by Trump. The PM had relied a lot on Trump especially seeing the US embassy move to Jerusalem as a victory. Now Israel is abandoned to defend itself as US troops pullout of Syria. And the embassy move is all sound and fury, signifying nothing. Life continues in the City as if the embassy is still in Tel Aviv. No difference made. It's a hallow victory which Israel will be made to pay a lot.

Yesterday's bomb killing 4 Vietnamese tourists in Cairo was a horrible reminder NOT to go to Egypt. Israel constantly published travel warnings against going to Egypt ... but there are money minded travel agencies who risk tourists' lives by organising tours there. Tourists also should make all necessary inquiries regarding the safety of their visit. One incident like this is enough ... you can't bring dead people back to life.  https://www.straitstimes.com/world/middle-east/two-vietnamese-tourists-killed-10-injured-by-roadside-bomb-in-egypt?xtor=CS1-10&fbclid=IwAR09XeJdNvCpKXT8jBfLjddZMgEeveyhKch6Bt7gm5IMUyuXTZnEA51z0U4