End of May

Altar for Mary in courtyard

The heat is taking its toll on the Land ... a series of forest fires have broken out throughout the north, center and south. The frightful thing is there's a strong wind blowing as well ... so that makes the fire spread so much faster.

It's also the last day of May and we have the traditional Marian Mass at 5pm with the procession of the statue around the Christian Quarter. Everyone looks forward to that ... and now that there's no restriction on gatherings, we can expect a large crowd. The scouts will also be drumming and blowing their bagpipes ... which I don't particularly like. The wailing is awful ... and they're not very well trained. But as long as they have fun, that's what counts.

Today is also the Feast of the Visitation. There was a solemn Mass at the Church of the Visitation in Ein Kerem. There was also a live broadcast of it in various languages. 

June will begin tomorrow and the end of the half year begins. Time flies, so I'll have to prepare for the second half and I hope it gets better than the first. That means I get to rest more. I'm feeling so exhausted.

Summer heat

Palm Plaza pigeons

The month of May is almost over. Today there was the annual procession of the statue of the Madonna around the Christian Quarter. Because there is no more limit to gatherings, the crowd was sizable. A fitting end after a year of lockdowns. We hope the Madonna has conquered the pandemic.

We might have a new govt. after all ... in a matter of hours. The Center-right party is in probable coalition with the Left. That would see the ultra-orthodox parties out and also the incumbent PM. It might just be the fresh air we need. 

Today was very hot and when the pigeons and crows at Palm Plaza take a dip in the fountain and then sunbathe. An amazing sight. Also fewer people are outdoors from noon to evening ... a wise thing to do since the heat can do harm to your health ... heat-stroke for example.

Sr. Amrutha, one of our indian sisters working in our chapels and kitchen, has been called back to her province in Hyderabad after 3 years of service here. This afternoon I organised a small meeting of english speaking students to bid her goodbye. It's not easy for her ... or anyone, to be given only 1 week's notice to return; and leave the holy sites of Jerusalem. But that's religious life.

Super moon

 

Super flower blood moon

The super flower blood moon is upon us .... It's a fabulous sight. Last night  saw it rising over the City Walls. After midnight the light is so bright my room was lit up through the window. I wish I had gone out for a walk then ... the streets and trees and buildings would look magical under the moonlight.

The rocket ceasefire is still holding ... so that's good news. However street fighting, lynchings and racial clashes continue. I read in the news that an arab driver was dragged out of his car and beaten by a gang of jews in the city of Lod (biblical Lydda); while in another place 2 arabs threw a molotov cocktail into a jewish home. Arab families with leftwing jewish supporters have been protesting in front of a municipal court because they're threatened with eviction from their homes ... this time not in Sheikh Jarrah but another part of town. Peace is unlikely in the near future ... 

Confrontation of kids and
police

Last night on my way home, I saw a crowd surrounding a police post at Damascus Gate and an ambulance that was just leaving the scene. Someone must have been hurt. Getting closer I saw it was a crowd of very young boys ... 12 - 13 yr olds protesting the police who were lined up in a row. Adults stood far off filming the whole thing. I'm not sure what happened but I guess one of the boys was hurt and the rest of the boys are blaming the police. As I walked on, the shoutings got louder and finally the police charged at the kids, chasing them away.

I'm still holding the helm at the library as my worker is still in hospital. However today I had a nice surprise. A 17th century book that had a cover made from an old parchment was analysed by an expert medieval musicologist as a 15th century manuscript. It was a great surprise and joy to find this out. I had sent a photo of the re-used manuscript to the expert yesterday. Now it publish this finding!

Back to normal?

The weather has warmed up today. It's 28 degrees and the bights are 18 degrees ... which is comfortable. It feels like summer again.

Clothes donation

Most of the Covid restrictions have been relaxed, with only masks required for indoor gatherings. And indoor gatherings are no longer limited to 20 persons. By June the country will return to normal ... and many people are feeling relieved. The Health Ministry has declared herd immunity in the country so everyone is feeling safe again. That's a good example of rapid vaccination and how normal life can be resumed.

Relaxation of restrictions also means donors can come and hand me their gifts to the poor. The parish in Jaffa brought in lots of clothes, and also Mian restaurant. Now my problem is to bring these clothes to the poor in Nablus. Covid is still rampant in the Palestinian region ... and the road to go there is tense as street fighting, stone throwing and shootings still occur. I must wait till the situation calms down sufficiently for me to travel to Nablus and bring the donations to the MC sisters.

My asthma has gotten better today and I could walk without major difficulty. I did not have to stop along the way to rest today on my way to work. Let's hope this keeps up. My chest pains also subsided.

I hear that tourists will be arriving soon in June. The Health Ministry is coming up with a plan to test all incoming tourists at the airport, without quarantine. Let's hope it goes ahead. Many locals who depend on tourism to survive need this break. Summer might just be back to normal again ... a new normal though .. with caution and personal hygience.

Stromata

 Yesterday's number of viewers was 65 ... which is still high but alot more realistic. Scary.

Dinner at Jack's home

I've been feeling very sick these 2 days. Chest pains, bloated tummy, nausea and bad asthma. Extremely dizzy. I don't know what's  happening ... I should see the doc I guess but it's up in Sheikh Jarrah ... the center and origin of all the clashes. The police have closed the roads around that neighbourhood so I don't think I can get to the clinic of my medical insurance.

The rockets have stopped for 3 days now ... but the clashes continue. For 2 mornings now, muslims have been protesting at jews who enter the Al Aqsa compound under heavy police security. While I advocate all holy places to be open to everyone, I can understand that the Al Aqsa is for the arabs their last bastion of sovereignty and symbol of national identity. It's a sensitive point. Anyway here's an interesting article from Unicef regarding the war with Gaza.  https://www.unicef.org/stories/children-bear-brunt-violence-gaza?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic-en&utm_content=girl-destroyed-buildings&utm_campaign=gaza&fbclid=IwAR1dgAf9OQ-gsuTKgpSBzOMvyi09hQGdkLOxfEamoF2WI4BDEUas91kBXHE

Water canon at Palm Plaza

Several families have been asking for help to pay for their children's school fees ... due to the lockdown and lost of jobs, many could not pay last year's fees. I've been busy with our sponsorship department for past few days clarifying the situation, asking schools to give discounts. It's a tough job following up on each case. But thanks to your generosity, we've been able to help in some way or other these children. Thanks.

1st Communion

 Yesterday there were 165 viewers .... still being stalked. 

Lebanese food

Yesterday there was 1st Communion for the children of our parish. It was a big group as last year's was cancelled. Jack Katanasho's daughter was among them. Jack runs a small lebanese restaurant in the Old City but because of the lockdown it was closed for a year. He can barely pay for the rent and support his family. Some of your donations go to help pay his children's school fees and more recently to buy food for his family. He cares for his elderly parents as well ... all refugees from Lebanon.

After the Mass, Jack invited me to his apartment to celebrate. His brothers' families were also there. It's a tiny apartment and there was no space so a few of us stayed outside on the staircase to chat and eat. His food is fabulous ... lebanese fetteh (salad with breadcrumbs and yoghurt), roasted chicken, mtabal (eggplant puree) and sfiha (the original pizza before it became italian). I loved it all. And as I needed to go home early so as to avoid trouble in the streets, 

Though the ceasefire is in effect and no roclets have been fired from both sides, clashes continue inside the Al Aqsa compound. This morning, israeli police allowed over 100 jews to enter the compound ... something that was closed the past week. Unhappy muslims protested and 5 were arrested.

Anyway exams start tomorrow and our students are studying hard. Summer holidays begin in mid-June but everyone is wary of another wave of Covid infections. So we're all hoping for the best. fingers crossed.

Chill

Rain clouds this morning

Talk about scary ... yesterday there were 208 viewers and today 101 ... even though I haven't updated the blog. Anyway you guys know I'm writing this blog mainly to let you know I'm still alive. It's more entertaining than a circular letter.

We finally have a ceasefire! It took effect at 2am on Friday and the arabs were out in the streets celebrating. Fireworks were blasting all through the early morning till 9am. They saw it as a victory ... but the Israeli PM saw it as his victory. Whatever the viewpoint, the important thing is the people in Gaza can pick up the pieces and go on with their lives. I called the MC sisters in Gaza to see how they were. Exhaustion is the word ... 6 nuns caring for over 80 handicap patients with no workers helping due to Covid lockdown and the war.  I really hope some essential workers will be allowed to come back to work and help the sisters.

One of your beneficiaries, a young man from Gaza who's studying dentistry in Bangladesh, was trying to contact his family in Gaza but failed. He was very upset and scared of what might have happened to them. His late father was the physiotherapist at the MC convent but had died of a heart attack. We're sponsoring his son to study so that when he graduates, he will be able to take care of his family. Meantime his eldest brother gave up schooling to work so he can bring food to his very poor family. Anyway I managed to contact his family and they are all well except the windows in their house have all been blown out by the bombings. Now we'll be busy helping families rebuild their lives. Please help us help them.

Strong and chilly winds

The weather has suddenly turned very cool ... down to 15 degrees this morning. There were rain clouds drifting across the City at 6am and it was chilly and damp. I see the forecast is more chilly weather ... down to 13 degrees on Wednesday. Could be heaven's way of telling us to chill now that the ceasefire is in effect.

Mind you the ceasefire regards only the rockets and missiles. Nothing about street fights and clashes. Yesterday the police again entered the Al Aqsa mosque and clashes broke out. Internally within the muslim community, there's also division. During the Friday sermon, worshippers drove out the Grand Mufti who was preaching because he was staying politically correct and did not mention the dead or the war. There may be a ceasefire but internal cracks are showing.

Return of the dove

Dove nesting
over the mosaic

So the total number of viewers yesterday hit 640 .... big time stalking. My phone number stolen, my social media hacked ... 

A very hot day today, and the clashes continue with more bombings and skirmishes. Tomorrow is Friday and I think City Gates will be closed, maybe even the border checkpoints. I still have to go to work as I have no workers ... so I'm hoping there'll be no street closures inside the Old City and no violence in our streets.

Every year a dove will come and nest on the upper frame of the Annunciation mosaic in our courtyard. It's a lovely sight though the dove is messy. We try to leave it there till the babies fly away then we clean the frame and mosaic. It's always lovely to watch the doves grow up. However the doves are terrible nest-builders. Their nests are nothing more than a couple of sticks loosely put together and falls apart when a strong wind blows. Such a fragile structure reminds me of our present situation in the country ... we're not sure which way things will fall.

I called the MC sisters in Gaza and they asked for your prayers. It's tough in there. We can't send in help ... just pray. Maybe our little dove is a harbinger of good news.

No end in sight

 165 viewers today .... smells fishy. I'm being stalked online. And its been several years now.

Mulberries from
Bethlehem

Lebanon fired 4 missiles into Israel. Gaza and Israel continue to tit-for-tat missile launching. More injured. More afraid. And in the streets, an Armenian Orthodox priest was attacked by jewish extremists, according to the Armenian Patriarchate Facebook. An arab woman fired shoots at soldiers and is shot dead near Hebron. Far right jewish extremists threaten 4 journalists for leftwing reports. American president tells Israeli PM to de-escalate but PM announced in defiance he will continue the Gaza attack. More suffering, more fear ... and no end in sight.

I'm still working over 14 hours a day. I come home dead tired and fall straight to sleep. And sleep is a nightmare because each time I lie down to sleep, my lungs are filled with fluid and I choke. I must sit up or walk and cough it all out ... and so I can't sleep.

One consolation: the MC sisters in Bethlehem sent some long mulberries from their garden. Its very sweet and tastes great in this hot humid weather. That made my day.

Strike

Palm Plaza empty ... on strike

The clashes continued all through yesterday ... and it was the jewish feast of Pentecost. Crowds of orthodox jews marched down our street chanting ... and to avoid trouble, the arabs stayed indoors. The jews w3ere trying to enter the Al Aqsa compound which is not allowed by the Chief Rabbis because they might unwittingly step on the  Holy of Holies whose whereabouts today remains unknown except that it was somewhere in that compound. However Zionist jews still insist on entering the compound to show ownership of the place. It's more political than religious.

Today the arabs are on strike in remembrance of the 100+ dead in Gaza. The streets were very quiet and empty. All the shops and offices were closed. As early as 6am, clashes started in the surrounding arab villages of the Old City. Our workers who live in those areas came out to work early so as to avoid a lockdown. And I was told the checkpoints between Israel and Palestine will be closed indefinitely. And Lebanon fired 3 rockets into Israel this morning as well. This is all going very badly. 

What is worrying is not just getting bombed by being in the wrong place at the wrong time ... but the cost of food and vegetables and just about everything else will rise as a result of this war. I think sooner or later, people will start to hoard. It's inevitable as all out disruption in every city and town and even the closure of the airport ... the flow of products are restricted. I dread what will happen ... the Corona lockdown has already ruined families and jobs ... this war is the final straw to break the camel's back.

At the petshop

At Jungle petshop

More missile strikes, more deaths, more injuries today.  It's said to be the worst day of fighting this week. Just an hour earlier, an arab car rammed into a police checkpoint at the center of contention: Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood. Arab families have been and will be evicted from this neighbourhood and jewish settlers taking over their property ... and this is the spark of the violence and civil war. The Security Council is now debating on this war ... but it's a lame duck that engages in verbal diarrhea. Israel has a right to defend itself. Clear. But the root of these bombings is the occupation by Israel of Palestinian land. This must be addressed.

This morning started bad ... not just because of the night-long bombings in Israel and Gaza, but there was an electric blackout. I could not charge my phone nor computer so I decided early at 7am to go to my other office 1km away so that I could finish an urgent piece of work. I gave myself till 12pm to complete it ... and I did succeed to finish it at 12.30pm. Not bad for dateline. The afternoon was a halfday-off which I wanted to spend on my own.

I then went up to the New City to buy food for Buddy and JJ. It was amazingly quiet ... many shops closed. On one hand it's the eve of Jewish Pentecost whereby no work is allowed, on the other there's fear of riots that would destroy property and injure people. Jungle petshop was open though, and my friends who work there are safe. I do enjoy going there once a week and watch the fish in the tanks and the toys and food available. It's a nice relaxing break from the tensions in and around the Old City. Jungle petshop keeps me sane. The sun was beating down at 30 degrees but I enjoyed the sun and heat. It helps my breathing and my asthma has been better these 2 days.

Continuing violence

Tel Aviv rocked by missiles
and racial riots

More violence yesterday. An arab worker was stabbed by jews in Mahane Yehuda market in Jerusalem. 2 arab children burnt in a firebomb attack in their home in Jaffa. Jewish families suffer bombings from rockets fired from Gaza. Victims: over 100 in Gaza dead, 10 in Israel. Hundreds more injured. No one is winning. It's all senseless ... but yet it's a desperate cry for the voiceless and decades of oppression.

It's Nakba Day today ... when palestinians remember they lost their land to jews when the State of Israel was founded. Usually it's very violent ... but now that there's violence already, there'll be nothing special added ... I hope.

Anyway I'm spending most of my days in the other office where I don't have to smell the gas of stun grenades and skunk water that's making me very sick. 

News coming in right now .... Gaza rockets have bombed Ramat Gan and Rishon leZion - both cities next to Tel Aviv; and Beer Sheva a southern city near the desert. No sure if there are casualties. Also attacks from Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. This is getting massive. The next 24 hours will be crucial to see how events will turn.

Pray for peace

Adoration for peace

2 nights of intense bombings by Israel and Gaza. Over 30 dead in Gaza and 7 dead in Israel, both sides including children. Hundreds more injured by the air raids. On land, mixed Arab-Jewish towns and cities continue to see vicious attacks and lynchings with critical injuries on both sides. Para-military police have been called in to quell the violence but that doesn't seem to be enough so the PM is considering calling in the army. Experts are saying calm will come after a few weeks of more violence.

Deserted street

I called the M. Teresa's sisters in Gaza yesterday and they told me the Israeli airforce bombed the surroundings of the Rosary Sisters' convent in Gaza. Badly damaged buildings, but the sisters are safe though badly traumatised. Pray for them.

Yesterday evening I went to the M. Teresa's convent in Jerusalem for the weekly talk and adoration. Our filipino student, Fr. Abraham came along as well. We spent the hour in adoration for peace in the Holy Land. Hope everyone can do it in their own way. Only God can save us from this hatred and violence.

Yesterday was also Ascension Day and the celebration up on the Mt of Olives was very low key. We still have to keep social-distancing so we were encouraged not to join in. Only a handful of the important celebrants were up in the Crusader chapel of the Ascension for the Mass and prayers, and a few local religious attended. I guess things will continue to be low key, not just because of Covid but also the violence all around us. Let's see what Pentecost will have in store for us,.

Getting worse

Mass in the
Empty Tomb

They don't want to say it ... but it is war. The city of Lod (biblical Lydda) is under a state of emergency and soldiers have been deployed to maintain the peace as jewish and muslim residents attack each other. The mayor decried that he had lost control of the situation and asked the govt to intervene. Nearby city of Rishon leSion is also in near internal collapse. over 300 rockets have been fired from Gaza into Tel Aviv, destroying property and killing a few people. The Israeli anti-missile system could not cope with such a massive barrage at the same moment.

Other towns and cities throughout the country with mixed populations all saw clashes to some degree or other. Some people are calling it a civil war. Whatever it is, if the issues that sparked this nationwide unrest is not resolved, we will not see the end of it. And this centers mainly of israeli expropriation of palestinian land and houses for settlers to occupy. Meanwhile Israel has bombarded Gaza fiercely killing over 30 people.

Today the end of Ramadan is celebrated with Eid el Fitr ... and no one knows what will happen during this very tense environment.

Inside Jerusalem, there were clashes again at night and in the early morning. The stink gas has overwhelmed our house and I'm suffering terribly from asthma and pain in the lungs. Some of my local friends have called me to offer their homes for me to spend the week and escape the gas attacks. I;m very grateful for such friends. It's times like this that I see their care and loyalty.

Yesterday morning, while it was still calm, I celebrated Mass inside the Empty Tomb for all your intentions. A Mass for all the benefactors of the Holy Land is celebrate once a month by me, and another by the Custos in a different sanctuary. Thanks for your support which helps us offer aid to the poor people in our region.

No end in sight

 

Reporters preparing the news

The past 2 days saw even fiercer clashes between jews and arabs. Last night the israeli soldiers again entered the Al Aqsa mosque and fired stun grenades inside. 300 arabs were injured. Outside at Damascus Gate, the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and cities north in Haifa and Nazareth saw clashes as well. Gaza fired hundreds of missiles into Israel. At 6pm sirens were blaring throughout Jerusalem and after a minute 6 loud explosions rocked the City. I stayed in my room as we do not have a bunker to hide in. Arabs were cheering all around our Quarter while Isrealis tried to stay in a safe place. 

Hawker veggies
abandoned

The massive Jerusalem Day flag-march of extremist rightwing israelis were allowed to go ahead despite security chiefs warning a bloodbath would result if the march entered East Jerusalem. As the march started, the police decided to divert the marchers through Jaffa Gate instead of Damascus Gate which is the entrance to East Jerusalem. It was a last minute diversion. But suddenly rocket sirens blared and all the marchers were told to lay low on the streets as the missiles exploded outside of the residential areas. The march was then called off and dispersed as there was danger of more missiles, and the marchers were unhappy their planned route to East Jerusalem was diverted. We who live in the planned route were spared alot fo violence and destruction of property. But I have a hunch the Israelis will be organizing another march unofficially next week ... and some destruction will be expected.

I had to go out for a major meeting that morning but most of us chose to go home by noon even if the meeting was not ended, because the police warned us that the Old City and many major roads would be closed. My quick walk home saw many hawker stalls abandoned and shops closed to avoid destruction from the planned march.

Every night the stench of skunk water and gas blow into our house from the Al Aqsa Mosque. Because it's very hot at night, we leave the windows open but then we start suffocating from the chemicals. My asthma, and sore lungs and throat can hardly take it any more.

More clashes

Police at our
door

Last night was again wrecked with violence. However the clash in the Al Aqsa Mosque was minimal. The major clash was at Damascus Gate 200 m away from my house. 100 were injured. However at 5am this morning, stun grenades exploded 20m from my window. A clash between muslim worshippers and police was brief but violent. Our whole street ... my room, stinks of skunk bombs. And my asthma was triggered. I had to go out and throw the garbage this morning. It was not pleasant with hoards of police and chemicals reeking ... and lots of muslims in front of our door.

By 7.30am everything calmed down. However 12 hours have passed and the Israeli celebration of Jerusalem Day has started. Everyone foresees violent clashes between extremist zionist jews who'll march with flags through our streets, vandalising our walls and doors and cars, beating up arabs. I dread it every year ... and I'm not the only one. I saw groups of radical jewish youths gathering on Mt Scopus near the University, next to the village of Atur. I guess they're planning to march to the Old City in these hours ... late at night. Tomorrow will be the test.

Gaza has fired missiles into Israel again, and Israel responded by bombing Gaza's military targets. Foreign govts have called for calm from both sides and the stop of jewish settlement takeover of arab houses. The govt remains defiant as it always has regarding territorial integrity and will ignore pressure from overseas ... though the govt itself is collapsing and a new govt will be sworn in on Tuesday. 

Clash

Crowds cramming the streets

Last night saw some vicious violence just at the northern outskirts of the Old City, in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah. It's been a flashpoint of clashes for the past 10 years, but these few nights had become even worse. Several arab families are threatened with forceful eviction because jewish settlers have claimed ownership of their houses. Already 4 such houses were occupied last week. Ousted arab families stage daily protests in the street but police disperse them, even arresting them. Last night the jewish and arab groups clashed, a car was burned and several injured and arrested. What is worrying the authorities is that this is no longer a neighbourhood problem, but arabs in other cities and villages are joining in the protest in their own way. It could well explode into a national rebellion, as arabs here consider the eastern part of Jerusalem where these houses are situated, to e their future capital.  https://www.timesofisrael.com/renewed-clashes-in-east-jerusalems-sheikh-jarrah-neighborhood-as-tensions-flare/

Confrontation at Bab Hutta

Early this morning as I went out to throw the garbage, there was a loud altercation between a group of jews and some arab youths at Bab Hutta. Every Friday and Saturday morning this group with their rabbi will try to enter the mosque and pray, passing by our house and spitting at us. The police will keep them out, at the street, as they also did this morning. But with the tensions of the neighbourhood has spilled into the Old City and the arabs were jeering and calling the group to leave the area, which they initally refused. But a little later, they moved out of the Old City.

Today is also the last Friday of Ramadan, which will see tens of thousands of muslims from all over the country gathering in the Al Aqsa Mosque for prayer. I could hardly make my way out of my house to work as I was walking against the flow. And every ten or so meters are police in riot gear. I don't know if the police are restricting muslims without vaccination to enter the Old City today ... they've been doing that for the past 4 Fridays ... which is a sensible thing to do as there is no social-distancing at all. The Brasilian, Chilean and Indian coronavirus variants have been found in Israel and this is a worrying factor.

Another day

More hawker stalls at the
Damascus Gate cavea

Tensions are not abating. News flash says the village where the terrorists are said to be sheltering has been raided, with sounds of explosions and gunshots heard. No arrests so far. It's very concerning that unrest is spreading. And the political instability isn't helping much ... the Palestinians postponed their elections and the Israelis cannot form a government. Everything seems murky and indefinite ... not something people take easily to. And the discovery of Covid variants from Brasil and Chile, besides the Indian version, have caused some nervousness among the people. There're still many people wearing the mask ... like me. Just met the son of our former cook - a policeman - who informed me that his colleagues were vaccinated twice and still caught the virus.

Even more hawker stalls have been added to the Damascus Gate steps. A sure step to prevent demonstrators from gathering. I'd like to see how much money they're actually earning now that their shops are situated there. It's not easy for people to buy and sell along stairs. You could slip and fall, and break an arm or a leg.

Stalls on the right of the Cavea

Meantime final exams will soon be conducted in June. Many schools have just reopened and it'll be difficult for students to readjust and prepare for exams. There's general nervousness among the education world. Can't blame them. We're into a strange new world of Covid restrictions. And goodness knows what this summer will bring.

To all our benefactors around the world who've generously helped our Franciscan Custody in Palestine, Israel, Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Jordan and the numerous refugees in Cyprus and Rhodes, I shall celebrate a Mass in the Empty Tomb for your intentions next Tuesday, May 11th.

By the way, yesterday's 646 views of my blog has dropped to a realistic 40. Something smells fishy.

Heatwave

Roadblock in Old City

So yesterday there were 646 viewers to my blog ... another weird, shady happening, like I'm being under scrutiny. The usual viewership is between 20 - 40. So this spike usually means I'm getting hacked in the next couple of days. Watch this space!

Violence is spiking also as tit-for-tat attacks continue. The search for terrorists who fatally shot 3 israelis waiting for a bus led to a night raid in an arab village. There were retaliations to the raid, and counter-retaliation. I doubt it'll end soon ... it's a summer of great discontent. There's also a rise of police patrols in public areas. Last Sunday I saw an attack dog (Belgian shepherd) and a bomb-sniffer (labrador) with 3 policemen at Ben Yehuda Mall. For some, it's a reassuring sign. For others it's scary ... could there be a terrorist attack here?

Police dogs on
patrol

The cavea at Damascus Gate today has even more stalls then yesterday ... a sure guarantee that there'll be no space for demonstrators to gather and cause trouble. I walked past the stalls this evening ... the hawkers were all gethered in a corner breaking their fast and having a good meal after a day's fast. I wanted to buy fruit but no one was selling anything as it was the iftar (break-fast) meal. I guess I'll have to buy it tomorrow.

The roadblocks inside the Old City streets have been removed. The police set up numerous roadblocks in the streets around the Holy Sepulchre because of the Orthodox Easter. It was very inconvenient. Crowds arguing with police that they must pass through because of business or that they live in there. I don't bother arguing. If I can;t get to where I want to, I go back home. The heatwave is bad enough, I don't need to get emotionally heated up as well in an argument.

Yes the heatwave is hitting us again. I'm getting headaches either because of the heat or lack of water.

Eastern Easter is over

Concert at Damascus Gate

Another night of relative calm ... in the Old City. But outside the City, there were several stabbing and shooting attacks by arabs on jews. In response, jewish settlers attacked an arab village ... but police arrested the arab victims instead of the jewish perpetrators. I think this chain of violence will not end this summer. We'll just have to be careful not to get caught in the crossfire.

At Damascus Gate, the police have come up with a new strategy to stop the arabs from rioting. They've set the central part of the cavea into a stage, and music and concerts were blared out on 2 huge speakers. That drowned out the chanting youths. It also drew women and children into the cavea ... so the youths can't riot unless they endanger the lives of the children and women. So the youths moved away. End of a potential riot. The police should have done this 2 weeks back.

Inside Damascus Gate

May has started, April has gone. There's a heatwave again this week ... above 30 degrees during the day and the evenings are about 16 degrees. Looks like this summer it'll be very hot. It's a jewish Sabbath year, meaning observant jewish farmers will not till the land. Wildlife should flourish as it did during the lockdown last year ... but if it'll get so hot, the land will be scorched and most animals and plants will die. 

The Eastern Orthodox celebrated Easter Sunday yesterday. The Holy Fire descended on Saturday at 2pm. The streets around the Holy Sepulchre were blocked off by the police and even the City Gates were closed. But once the fire descended, everything went back to normal. Easter Sunday is not a big deal for the Orthodox. They have a solemn Mass but few people actually attend it. It's all about the fire.

Ramadan is in it's 2nd last week. The moon is now half full and slowly waning. I'll still have to fulfill my Ramadan to-do wishes ... eat Kattayef, drink Date syrup ... and some other things I've forgotten. These food and things occur only at Ramadan, so I'd like to fulfill them these 2 weeks. Then it's normal time again ... and summer holidays will roll in. Hopefully with no more lockdowns. The Indian variant is scary and most people here are not taking it seriously.

Labour Day

Crowds seated at
Damascus Gate

It's been 5 days since I updated the blog! My goodness! I wasn't really very busy as I had a break from some classes ... it's the Orthodox Holy Week so there's no school here. However I had several retreats to preach ... meaning I had to be in several places outside of the Old City. It was a good break from the routine of library work but then again, we're having a heatwave ... daytime temp rises to 30 degrees or more ... so walking 3kms to various places in this heat, with a mask on, is no fun.

We had 2 nights of relative peace because the police finally removed the metal barriers stopping the arabs from sitting on the steps of Damascus Gate. But yesterday I saw the barriers back up again. In the evening, crowds removed the barriers and sat there. The police tolerated it. Then the youths began beating the drums and chanting slogans including one about israelis. That didn't go well, and the police rushed in to arrest a few youths while dispersing the rest. No stun grenades were fired ... so the police were restraining themselves. 

Police clear the crowds

Yesterday midnight saw the tragedy up in the north where thousands of ultra-orthodox jews went to the tomb of a 2nd century rabbi to celebrate. They were mostly not vaccinated, there was no space for distancing ... and there was the stampede that killed 45 people. It's terrible. 

Today is the feast of St. Joseph the Worker. I guess it's a reminder for all of us hat work gives dignity and respect ... not a curse. After a year's lockdown, with many unemployed, we appreciate work even more now.