Terrorist attack

Police cordon off Damascus Gate

Yesterday while waiting for the bus to Bethlehem at noon, a terrorist attack took place some 30 metres from me. An 18 yr old arab stabbed a border police in the neck, who managed in turn to shoot the attacker. Total chaos in front of Damascus Gate. Ambulances, soldiers, people running and shouting for help. The entire road from New Gate down to Herod's Gate was closed off as police searched for other accomplices of this attack. It was a great blow to the otherwise happy festival of Ramadan. All the arabs I spoke to said it was terrible that any muslim could do such a thing during this holy month. Now they'll have to face the repercussions. Police will certainly close the borders to Palestinians from the Territories ... no more easy entry into Israel and the Al Aqsa Mosque.

Christian protestors in Galilee

Meantime up in Galilee, thousands of christians gathered to protest the burning of the Church of the Multiplicaiotn. Though the PM and some ministers have voiced outrage, we know that nothing will be done to protect christian places from fanatical jews. It's been 4 years since the first anti-christian vandalism and till now not a single case has been solved, not a single arrest ... all the cases remain open.   This intolerable state of affairs have finally forced christians throughout the country to express their frustration. They gathered in the thousands, holding crosses and Vatican flags near the church that was burnt. At first it was a peaceful prayer service but eventually things got a lot heated up. There were no riots ... it's in the middle of nowhere ... in the fields along the Sea of Galilee so there was no damage or attacks. But people were very angry that Israeli police is not giving christians protection from fanatics. The only thing that will force Israel to pay attention is to close all the churches ... once tourists stop coming, the money also stops coming .... that's the language people here understand.

Dismal

U. of S. Africa students and profs.
briefed by Dr. Sallon at the ruins of
the byzantine church of St. Modestus

Everyone is still reeling from the arson of the historic Church of the Multiplication. 16 youths have been held for questioning (NOT arrested) and released. Believe me, there will be no case, the rabbis and rightists will force the police to brush it under the carpet and everything hushed up. It can only happen here in Israel ... and Wikileaks can do nothing to shame them into administering justice. They have always been brazenly shameless, answerable to no one internationally or nationally. Christians will continue to be persecuted here ... and the rest of the christian world will continue to keep its head in the sand, more occupied with whether to wear veils during Mass, whether to receive communion by hand, whether to kneel or stand during consecration. Pathetic spirituality of the complacent.

The single apse of the chapel
overgrown with weeds

Another attempt to save another ancient church took place last Friday. It is the Chapel of St. Modestus of Jerusalem ... which is practically in ruins. It's situated on the Mt. of Evil Counsel, the traditional place where the High Priests gathered to discuss with Judas how to capture Jesus. Anyway the 7th century ruins lie above an ancient cistern that strangely was converted into a chapel with 2 tombs. The property belonged to the Greek Orthodox Church who sold this ancient ruin to Israeli property developers who in turn aim to build apartments. The view is stupendous from this hill and an apartment here would easily fetch US$2 million. So in this case, it's money that destroys christian heritage. And it's the Greek church itself that's willingly giving up this heritage for the sake of money. Pathetic.

Anyway Dr. Sallon who lives near the ruins, and a group of concerned neighbours (jewish, christian, arabs) are trying the save the site. I managed to gather up the profs. and students of U. of S. Africa who are here to dig at Hazor, to visit the site. One of the top archaeologist Dr Shimon Gibson came to present the facts of the ruins, and I got our Media Centre to film everything. Better save the site digitalised than lose it forever to memory.

Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fish burnt by arsonists

destroyed

destroyed

destroyed

destroyed

destroyed

Arsonists destroyed one of Christianity's holiest sites in the Holyland - the Church of the Multiplicaiton of Loaves and Fish which is along the Sea of Galilee. Over the modern church that was burnt lie 2 earlier churches ... from the 4th and 5th centuries. The world famous mosaic of the 5 loaves and 2 fish in a basket lie below the altar. Police suspect jewish extremists to be the culprits as a red graffiti was sprayed along the church walls saying "False idols will be smashed". The famous atrium and pond with seven fountains ("tabgha") are all gone.

You don't have to look to Syria or Iraq to see persecution of christians. It's happening right here ... in the land where Jesus died.

hebrew graffiti

Golan border closed

News flash last night that northeastern Golan was closed by the IDF and police because of the syrian war encroaching into the israeli border. This morning more news came in that the rebels were firing at Assad forces in Quneitra, practically a few km from the israeli border. It's definitely off limits to all non-military personnel now. Missile alarm sirens were going off in the Golan this morning too. Quneitra is the village where traditionally christians recall Saul (St. Paul) being blinded by a light and being converted to christianity. Syrian refugees will begin to flood the border with Israel in a bid to escape the war, and Israel has vowed not to let ISIS harm any syrian refugees at the border and will protect the syrian refugees militarily. Good show. In fact we never doubted that Israel is the only force in the world with the capability and will to end the ISIS problem.

Herod's Gate with light decorations

Back to internal affairs, Ramadan begins tomorrow and the IDF (Israel Defense Force or simply the army) is allowing 500 families from Gaza to worship at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. And extra-ordinary move. And this besides a few thousand other families from various parts of the West Bank (Palestinian Territories). Why didn't the IDF allow just as many christians from the Territories or Gaza to come out during Christmas or Easter? I guess I shouldn't be asking too many questions. Things just simply are.

And I ran out of medication. My Telfast ended a few days ago and the cortisone ended yesterday. I was feeling good without asthma attacks so I thought I could go without it .... until this morning when a major attack started. Managed to keep it under control till later when the pharmacy opened and I bought my monthly stock of medication. The cortesone alone costs US$100 and lasts for 15 days.

Ramadan in 2 days

Lights over Damascus Gate

Ramadan is in 2 days time and already we can see the preparations for this festive period. Strange as it may seem ... it's 30 days of fasting but it's festive; of course there's alot of feasting every evening after the fast. The 3 muslim gates to the Old City are decked in simple and elegant lights ... much better taste than the previous years with gaudy, outlandish lights. This year the streets in the Muslim Quarter are also strung with lights (gaudy). This is in sharp contrast with last year when there was hardly anything due to the Gaza war. The muslims in the Quarter had to show solidarity with the Gazans and so kept festivities to a minimum.

Unfortunately we're in summer mode. The sun rises at 4.15am (3.15am solar time) so the first call to prayer is at 3.15am (2.15am solar time) and the 2nd much more solemn and longer prayers at 3.45am (2.45am solar time). Fasting for the muslims this year would last some 16 hours as they start at sunrise (around 4am) till sunset (around 8.15pm). And the heat of the day is quite unbearable. We foreigners living in the muslim quarter have been advised by the police to respect the muslims .... so no eating, drinking or smoking in the streets. I wonder why they don't do the same when we have Lent.

Lunch at Legacy

Yesterday most of the students in our school had their last exam. Today they start their holidays. I brought Matthias out to lunch to celebrate the end of his 1st school year. He had a burger while I had seafood risotto. It was my first full meal in 3 days as my diaphragmatic hernia hurts too much for me to eat, and I've been running a fever and nausea all the time. It was a good meal but I got very sick after that ... 3 major diarrhea attacks and vomiting. I guess I'm no longer used to eating full meals. Just as well that Ramadan is round the corner ...

Poor eyesight

Getting my eyes checked

Had my eyes checked yesterday. I noticed I've had focussing difficulties especially reading. Doc checked and said I also have problems with long distance vision. My left eye had deteriorated alot. Could be due to diabetes or whatever reason yet to be diagnosed. Anyway I'll need new spectacles but it costs so much money. All in all the entire consultation, diagnosis and new glasses cost 5000 shekels. I don't have health insurance so it explains my problem. No company here would sell me a policy due to my health history. Disaster.

There is a headline report that alleges the Louvre museum is culpable of illegal discrimination by "refusing to allow" a group of Israeli art students to visit it; by not confirming a booking and saying that it was full on that day with other previous visitor bookings. That is tantamount to anti-semitism and liable to a court case. But it was perfectly alright for the jewish settlers to to use armed soldiers to chase  away palestinians from a palestinian pool so that they can have a swim in other people's property (see the last blogs). My mind is boggling. Maybe my eyesight is really bad and I'm not reading the headlines right.  See http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.661256 and http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/twilight-zone/.premium-1.660601?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

St. Miriam's sanctuary

Another headline that caught my attention: "Boy riding camel killed by train"; shouldn't there be a couple of commas? http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Boy-riding-camel-killed-by-train-406033

Anyway the recently canonized carmelite saint Miriam of Jesus Crucified (Bouardy) in Bethlehem has a very nice reliquary set up in the sanctuary of the monastery chapel. You should go visit it when in Bethlehem. Her room and personal things (habit, books, even hair cut off during her profession) are all on display and you can wear her winter mantle (relic) as part of the prayer and request for intercession.

Bethlehem

Friday passed with no incident although there were more police presence then usual. The open market at Damascus Gate and Musrara were crowded with locals. Normality at last. However news of how jewish settlers employed soldiers to evacuate palestinians from an ancient rock pool because they wanted to use it as floated through the newspapers ... the pool is in Palestinian land under Palestinian governance and the act is seen as an invasion. http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/twilight-zone/.premium-1.660601?utm_campaign=Echobox&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook

Silent adoration at the
Milk Grotto

Today was tiring. I had to run off to Bethlehem to pay the school fees of several students ... but some schools/universities were closed because it was Saturday. I left the money with the Sisters of Mother Teresa, asking them to help me pay the schools when the schools open on Monday.

The sisters have a new convent just a hundred metres away from the Basilica of the Nativity. It was totally renovated ... being a very dilapidated 2 storey building. They live on the upper floor, while the lower floor is home to 8 mentally-ill patients whom the sisters care.

Managed to also visit the Milk Grotto which I have not been for quite a long time. It is an oasis of peace in the touristy bustle of the Basilica. The cloistered nuns living there hold perpetual adoration in the lower chapel. Pilgrims can join the nuns during the day to adore the Blessed Sacrament. The modern upper chapel is used by groups to celebrate Mass. The courtyard garden is meticulously kept. It was great to be there.