Violence

Tourists at Damascus Gate

Terrorists attacks for the past 3 days. Today 2 jews were shot at the Silwan (biblical Siloam) neighbourhood south of the Old City. Yesterday 9 jews shot dead outside a synagogue 5km north of the Old City. All these were revenge attacks for the Israeli army killing 9 arabs in the town of Jenin the day before. On that same same extremist jews entered New Gate in the Old City and attacked Christians and their shops, just outside our monastery door. Tension is high all around. Police have stepped up their presence.

But tourists continue their visits, oblivious to the violence around. Shops in the Old City are opened but everyone is weary of each other. Police stand at every corner. Jews going to the Wailing Wall to pray rush through the crowds, afraid they'll be stabbed or shot. For sure there'll be more revenge attacks on both sides. We just need to be careful when we go out. 

Jews and Arabs