Aid

The horrible sound of fighter jets roaring overhead all morning tells us Gaza is being bombed. The Gaza's had released balloons tied to incendiary devices which cause vast patches of land in Israel to be burned in this hot weather. Israel since last night had been bombing military targets inside Gaza as a result. The border to Gaza has been closed. But despite all this posturing, both sides say they want to avoid a war. Likewise up north at the Lebanese border, tensions have not dissipated but Israeli army has pulled back because Lebanon right now is facing a major crisis after the port explosion and regeneration of the corrupt govt.  https://www.ynetnews.com/article/Hkuj8i1fP?fbclid=IwAR3HUZlUfmff0BTnRyd8LUnmwDNFn24rGYUZdI5omKbZBP5DBmMQuFobUhA

Crowds fighting to get into bank

Post Offices and banks are seeing massive crowds fighting to get in ... People are claiming their 750 shekels which the govt is distributing to all citizens to aid the worsening economy and pandemic lockdown. Nice gesture to help the poor but it cannot sustain the population is businesses continue to close. The crowds are usually of elderly women and fights break out every few minutes. Yesterday police came in to shove them into line and keep distancing but after one minute, chaos returned. Today armed military police were present and the crowd obeyed.

But with new infection rates hovering near 2000 (yesterday was 1875 cases), the govt realises its too late. They should have been decisive right from the start, and strengthen the track and trace system. Here they got it all wrong. Asian track-and-trace is super efficient and served to keep the pandemic under control. Here, like in Europe and America, it's a question of individual rights over public safety.

Today I had to go to the patriarchate to get a new book published by the patriarchate's archivist. An interesting book on the early liturgy (1st 5 centuries) in Jerusalem. There the sisters of the Divine Master who used to work in the armenian catholic church invited me for a bowl of ice cream. It was fantastic because it was hot today. Good to meet up with the sisters again.

Food donations

2 days back I brought food donationsfrom a protestant church, to the St. Vincent de Paul orphanage in Bethany. It's running short of food and donations due to the lockdown, and the superior is under chemotherapy for cancer. Only one old sister is trying to manage the huge orphanage. I'll try and get more donations to them soon.