Attack

Plainclothes security rush in

Last night I walked home at 7pm hoping to get home and eat my only meal of the day. I was very tired and hungry. As I reached 500 meters from the police post at the top of Damascus Gate, I heard a series of quick popping shots. I recognized it to be gunshots and quickly ducked. People were running away, others were stunned and stood there not knowing what to do.

Within a minute plainclothes security fully armed rushed through the crowd, barely half a meter from me. Other security started to push the crowds back. I went further down to Palm Plaza and sat down as I had an attack of asthma form all the adrenalin rush. For 2 hours I was out there in the cold and feeling very hungry as security scoured the place with dogs, ambulances came to take away the injured policeman who was stabbed. Soldiers pushed the crowds further back from Palm Plaza but they let me stay as I was under an asthma attack still.

Police cars block the road

Within an hour of this attack, another terrorist attack took place 10km south of Jerusalem. If this continues, summer will be a very unpleasant and violent.

I got home only at 10pm and I went to sleep immediately as I was simply too tired from all the excitement and danger. I want to go home safely tonight with no incidents. It won't be nice getting shot by a stray bullet.

 The past weekend was filled with last minute work, meetings and a small exhibition for a group of visiting Israeli tourists led by a good friend Hanna. It was a 5 book exhibition but told the story of the Franciscans in the Middle East for 800 years. The group enjoyed it very much and had many questions. Another group will come this Friday ... all violence barred.