Too quiet

 

Quiet Damascus Gate

Yesterday morning at the 1st Muslim morning call to prayer, a 19 yr old arab stabbed 2 Israeli police just 20 m from my house. I heard the police sirens but I didn't know why. The newspapers did not report anything except one ... which I found later in the afternoon. So as the weather warms up, so do the violence. Another anxious summer awaits us.

Quiet fruit stalls

Damascus Gate was rather quiet as a result of the morning's attack. Police have been everywhere in the Old City. Just outside our house there were a dozen soldiers. It's tense. Many young people were stopped and questioned. At the checkpoints entering and leaving Palestine, Israeli police were extra strict.  Even the open market at Musrara was very quiet. Usually at the weekend, crowds would go to buy the fruit and veggies by the bulk, which cost a lot less. But last night very few people were around. Even some shops decided to close earlier. The usual stock of fresh seafood from Tel Aviv were only half sold as many remained in the displays.

Unsold fish

I'm trying to settle as much work as possible these 3 weeks because I don't intend to work during Holy Week. This year it coincides with the Orthodox Holy Week as well as the jewish Passover. Muslim Ramadan is a week before. So the Old City will be packed with people. Police have warned high security will be maintained until after Ramadan, so movement will not be easy. I want to have a quiet Easter so I may move out of Jerusalem for another monastery. Enough of these violence. It makes walking in the streets feel risky and dangerous.