Chaos in Cairo

It is very worrying that Egyptian forces cannot bring control to the crowds that attacked the Israeli embassy. The attacks going on right now are not a good sign and only push the regional upheaval to another dangerous level. But of course building a wall around the Israeli embassy to protect it is itself the biggest mistake - what were they thinking???? It's not enough to build a wall around Bethlehem and the Territories but now it's exporting it's walls to foreign countries as well?  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/egyptian-protesters-break-into-israeli-embassy-in-cairo-as-obama-expresses-concern-to-netanyahu-1.383574

But someone is befitting from all this chaos though - the Israeli PM ... this attack in Cairo will refocus the homeground protesters' problems to foreign affairs; and serve to unify the nation again.

Friday

Ever tried Coca Cola ice-cream? Tastes weird.

The weather is fine ... cool, breezy and very autumnly like the rest of last week. So trying a little Coca Cola ice-cream was called for. Change of season, change of taste.

Sukkot and Yom Kippur are round the corner. The Jews will be celebrating the High Holy days ... and as usual, tensions will rise again. Other than this, the past few days have been largely uneventful ... which is good news for us. Let's see what the new week brings.

No bright days ahead?

Yesterday we received the alarming news that all-out war in the region is very likely.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/idf-home-front-command-likelihood-of-all-out-middle-east-war-increasing-1.382728  But today the Min. of Def. tried to play it down.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-s-enemies-wouldn-t-dare-launch-chemical-attack-barak-says-1.382863

After the stupid happening of overdosing, I tried to eat something this morning. Nadia our asst. cook boiled some whole-grain pasta with chicken breast - and I ate it and I had the worse stomach cramps since I was put on medication 2 weeks ago. Could it be that my stomach really shrunk and can't contain food? Sr Emilia said I'm only a quarter of what I used to be. And yesterday someone said I look older than I am ... like 60 years old.

Later today is Fr Samir's funeral Mass and burial. I'm glad at least he is no longer suffering. His liver transplant didn't work. And he suffered so much.

With all the dark news floating around us ... how about a photo of monster bats in Jaffa's famous Haunted House? They are massive and their squeaks can be heard several metres away.

However they are quite a tourist draw ... so they're economical productive ... helping to boost the tourism trade.



And a little good news ... SuperSol, the largest supermarket chain, is cutting back prices on essentials to appease the Tent protesters about rising cost of food. http://english.themarker.com/super-sol-reaches-deal-with-protesting-israeli-students-1.382785  Does that mean I can now afford to buy my Sunday cinnamon buns again? of course, the next question is - after buying it, will I be able to eat it?

Accidental overdose

Today the Greek Orthodox celebrate the end of the Feast of the Assumption. The procession bearing the silver icon of the sleeping Virgin "Dormition" started from the Tomb of the Virgin up to the Holy Sepulchre. There was a small crowd following - all old people. And it passed right past our doors.

Great excitement in the Jordan River as a cage of crocodiles escape and are loose in the holy river. Don't think of even trying to get "baptised" in the water!! Tourists watch out!!!   http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/crocodiles-great-escape-from-farm-provides-sleepy-jordan-valley-with-some-real-excitement-1.382549 

Tit for tat destruction: Israeli govt. destroys illegal Jewish settlement, settlers burn mosque in nearby village. When will it all end? It's these little things that ignite ferocious wars. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/settlers-set-fire-to-west-bank-mosque-after-israel-demolishes-illegal-structures-in-migron-1.382617

And the Tent cities throughout the country are voluntarily being taken down as protesters change tactics.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-s-social-activists-begin-taking-down-tents-day-after-largest-ever-protest-1.382493

So much going on ... it leaves you breathless in this country. And the weather is absolutely charming. Only thing that spoiled my day yesterday was I overdosed on a new version of medicine. I usually have to take one or two in the morning but not having read the instructions on the new box, I took two and then got tremors, cold-sweat, difficulty in breathing, nausea, giddiness. Finally vomited last night and felt better. The new version is alot more potent than the old version - which I didn't know. Anyway I survived the overdosed. Frightened the people around me ... they kept checking my room every hour to see if I was dead. They probably thought they'd have a double funeral - me and Fr. Samir. Well I made it to today. Samir will have to wait for me.

Fr Samir Narouz R.I.P.

Rally in Jerusalem

Last night's March of the Million was a poor show - only half a million showed up. Nevertheless it was impressive - the largest ever rally in the history of Israel. In Jerusalem, 50,000 people marched to Paris Square in front of our Terra Santa College next to the PM's house. But the PM has his own tactics - ignore them and they will fizzle away. The protesters must change their tactics if they want to be effective. http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/some-450-000-israelis-march-at-massive-march-of-the-million-rallies-across-country-1.382366

The weather has chilled so much, winter blankets are brought out from the closets. Soon it will be Yom Kippur and Sukkot ... and probably the riots that follow it every year.

Fr. Samir died on Friday. He was 55 yrs old and was an Egyptian who worked in several capacities in the Holyland. He was my good friend. Despite his liver illness, he was always cheerful and patient. Finally as his liver transplant failed, he prepared for his final journey to heaven, always with a smile.

Any one who had encountered him during these last few months will tell you of his constant gratitude to everyone and for everything.

Eternal rest grant unto him O Lord, and may perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace.

Shot

Some hooligan arab shot me with a toy gun 2 days ago. I was coming home late in the night as I had spent an exhausting day (10 hours) working in our Media Center editing clips. damascus Gate was packed with people and somehow street-vendors were selling plastic guns (noticeably missing throughout Ramadan). The hooligans were shooting at the decorative lights in the streets to see how many they can destroy. The plastic pellets are fired with such force, it can crack the glass of our windows, let alone light-bulbs. A pellet shot to the eye will cause blindness. As I walked past, I could hear them talking about shooting me. I quickly turned to protect my eyes, and they shot my right side instead. It hurt - caused the skin to go black and blue because it was close-ranged, less than a meter away. I turned at them and shouted in arabic because I know one of them lives behind our area. The rest were abit afraid because they thought I was a tourist; and when they realised I could speak arabic and lived in the Quarter, they kept silent and some walked away. Bloody hooligans, that's what they are. Ramadan is supposed to be a period of compassion and goodwill - it obviously did nothing for them.

Tonight begins the March of the Million. The Tent protesters are calling a million people to march in the streets of Tel Aviv; besides other cities throughout the country. I'll see if I can join in, either in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-s-end/ahead-of-the-march-of-the-million-israel-s-social-protest-leaders-are-put-to-the-test-1.382130

Today is the 1st day of school for the arabs. It was delayed because of the 3 day holiday of Eid il Fitr. Israeli schools on the otherhand started on Sept. 1st but with the Tent protests going on, I wonder if any school actually functioned.

The weather has absolutely changed! It's surprising all of us - very autumnly, something you'd expect in November. The nights get chilly, going down to 23 degrees but with a very cold wind blowing. Summer flowers are fading and winter plants have sprouted - like the freesias that I planted last year. They have all shot up in a week, but they should have done so only in November/December. Very strange.

September begins

Eid il Fitr passed without any major incidents. Thank God. Damascus Gate was eerily silent last night - not a shop was opened in the Old City Muslim Quarter. No vendors in sight.

Today school officially begins in Israel but there is a call for a student's boycott of school in support of the social protest enveloping the country.  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/facebook-group-calls-on-israel-students-to-ditch-school-for-social-protests-1.381835

And the medical strike - though officially ended - has made a turn for the worse. We're expecting mass resignations and a hospital crisis is looming. No hope for my operation, I guess.  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-hospitals-implementing-emergency-plan-as-mass-resignation-looms-1.381825

And a creeping xenophobia is taking over the country - a record 2000 illegal immigrants crossed into Israel last month. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/all-time-high-of-2-000-illegal-infiltrators-crossed-israel-egypt-border-last-month-1.381829  We can expect a round-up of illegals soon. And those who find some way of remaining will face separation from the local community. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/tel-aviv-sending-israeli-foreign-children-to-separate-schools-1.381831

But what is keeping everyone on their toes is the govt. warning that a terrorist attack is expected in the next few days. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/home-front-minister-sinai-based-cell-may-try-to-attack-israel-in-coming-days-1.381510  and  http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/idf-boosts-presence-in-south-based-on-terror-1.381512

All these fears accumulating as September begins. The weather is very autumn-like : cool mornings and cloudy days. At least the weather is kind to us.