Heatwave 2

Crowd beginning to come out of
Damascus Gate

The heatwave hit us hard last night. 27 degrees. And today it is 37 degrees. Some places in the country reached over 40. The wind is harsh and hot and stifling. And wildfires have broken out in several spots throughout the country. Residents have to be evacuated. And this looks like it will last for a couple of weeks so the forest fires might spread. Of course most people say it's summer after all so it should be hot, but this year the heatwave came early. We didn't have Spring. It was barely a few days ... and winter kept creeping back. Anyway what we hope is that it will not evaporate our water sources and we end off in a drought crisis again.   https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-5514143,00.html?fbclid=IwAR2e4pbuS9kQN9mJmdxOXkM2gvKFvbQiRm1KVRX_d7E5Tag4oTBlKnh026M

Last night I finished work at about 9pm and walked home, knowing that it would be impossible to enter Damascus Gate or Herod's Gate as the muslim crowd would have just finished breaking the fast and coming out to relax before the final night prayers in the mosque. So I sat outside the Gate like hundreds of other muslims, watching the lights and the passing crowds. It was only after 11pm that the Gates were less crowded and people could enter. I decided to enter from Herod's Gate as it usually has less traffic than Damascus Gate. Hawkers were plying their goods and food ... and most shoppers are out-of-towners.

Herod's Gate in the day

I remember when Ramadan nights were alot more festive, with people smoking nargileh on the steps of the cavea of Damascus Gate' hawkers selling their food along the stairs and in the park beside it. Now only people sit around there ... ready to be shooed away by the police. The barriers blocking the seats of the cavea have been removed and this has reduced alot of tension. But only young boys carry trays of fruit juice and XL, selling to passersby. The economy is bad so most families are unable to buy anything much. In the mornings I see many muslim women lining up at muslim and christian welfare offices, waiting for a handout so they can cook a little more food for dinner to break the Ramadan fast.

Anyway I've been checking the calendar and am getting worried for next week. On May 30th night is Christian Pentecost. On May 31st night is Laylat el Qadr which the muslims will spend the entire night praying in the mosques. On June 1st and 2nd the Israelis will celebrate Jerusalem Day ... a very sensitive day as extremist jewish groups attack non-jews and destroy property. June 4th night is the end of Ramadan and June 5th is Eid el Fitr. On June 8th begins the jewish Pentecost. The juggling of these celebrations between the 2 communities is going to be very delicate and we all expect violent clashes. The poor police will have a hard time.