Weekend

Bedouin hawkers in
the morning

 Though the heatwave has now lowered to a constant 33 degrees during the day, it feels stifling hot ... so hot that I cannot wear the mask when out in the streets. I simply cannot breathe. So despite the widespread covid infection and large crowds on Fridays in the Old City, I walk home in the sweltering heat without a mask. And it scares me. Just 3 weeks ago an employee in our financial department was positive with covid ... and I'm there everyday to settle transfer payments of the numerous books that the libraries order weekly.

Hawkers that throng Damascus Gate plying their trade on the huge muslim and jewish crowds visiting the Old City start to move into the shade or simply stop working by noon as the sun is too relentless. Their vegetables and fruit from the villages wilt and spoil, and they make a huge loss.

There were clashes in Hebron and a soldier was stabbed. Israel stepped up air strikes into Syria and Russia has told Iran to leave those sites ... which is a big shift in policy. In fact Aleppo airport was struck too ... considerable damage as it's suspected of trafficking arms. Tension all around.

Back to school ... as the teachers' strike was narrowly avoided when the govt agreed to increase wages. So kids returned to school today. A good start for a new academic year.