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.