Calm today (almost)

Metal detector installed at
entry to El Wad street

** Breaking news: stabbing in Prophets Street in front of Damascus Gate, 2 wounded.

Today the soldiers left Via Dolorosa. The street is empty ... and arabs are out walking about now. Some sense of normality ... but who knows how long this will lasts. Metal detectors have been installed in both Jaffa Gate and Damascus Gate with a couple of soldiers in charge. But other than that, the military presence has been very much toned down. Perhaps this is a new tactic ... to lessen the provocation in the streets by their absence.

Yesterday saw another series of attacks ... and rioting in many cities ranging from Nazareth, Umm el Fahm and other northern areas. In the south, Gaza rose up with great violence ... arab youths marching toward the Israeli division wall. 7 were shot dead and many more wounded. From viral videos on the Internet, it was clear Israeli police had sent in plain clothes infiltrators to join the genuine rioters and then arrest them. The videos show some of these infiltrators shooting captured arab youths. Another video going viral is the shooting of an arab woman wielding a knife at the Afula central bus station at close range.

Autumn leaves

No matter what ... we hope things will calm down. The newspapers are at pains to emphasize that this is NOT an Intifada ... for obvious economic reasons. Tourism will definitely collapse, foreign investors will pull out and the economy will slump lower than it already is. War is not good for anyone.

I'm trying to take my mind away from this stressful situation. The brain automatically switches to defense mode when the stress overloads. So I've been admiring the beautiful color changes in the leaves ... it's autumn and the rusty red hues are dotting the trees and fields and gardens. The nights are now chilly and I think soon I'll have to take out the hot-air fans (heaters). During the day, people are beginning to wear jackets and hoodies.

Friday

Another stabbing yesterday morning in Jerusalem ... this time near the Police Head Quarters. http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Jerusalem-terror-attack-Palestinian-stabs-Israeli-man-who-suffers-light-wounds-421274 Then followed by a whole series of attacks ... from Tel Aviv to Kiryat Arba to Afula. All unco-ordinated and perpetrated by lone wolves. However Jerusalem was quiet. Nazareth saw an explosion of violent demonstrations as well.

Surprisingly Jaffa saw 2 days of riots as well. Usually its a city that does not bother much with the problems of Jerusalem. This time it sounds serious. But as was acutely noted, the problem isn't about Al Aqsa and the religious struggle in Jerusalem; it's the high cost of living, the rising prices in housing in Jaffa that's igniting these riots ... the Al Aqsa question served as a catalyst.  http://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Morning-after-violent-riots-Jaffa-residents-take-stock-421227

Yesterday morning the PM entered the Old City to visit the families of Sharon's House. The streets were blockaded again for an hour. I was just leaving for work but had to stand by our doorway till his motorcade entered and left. To allay further tensions in the Al Aqsa compound, the PM has ordered all ministers barred from entering the compound.

HK pilgrims from the Duns Scotus
Pilgrimage group venerating the
relic of the Holy Cross before begin-
ning the Way of the Cross

The streets are not totally empty though. Pilgrim groups continue to come, though much lesser in number. Notably the groups are all asian: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnamese, Hong Kong and China. Police stand by the Via Dolorosa to protect the tourists, and if the guides are on their toes, the groups get to visit all the Holy Places in peace and security. The last thing the govt. wants is tourists getting hurt.

Today revenge attacks start: in Dimona south of the country, a jew stabbed 4 arabs, while in Netanya 3 arabs were attacked. The arab attacker in Afula was lynched by an angry jewish mob and had to be protected by police. The vicious cycle of violence gains momentum.

Day of Terror

1st rain of the season

At 11am yesterday morning another stabbing occurred within metres of the killing that took place on Saturday last. This time an arab woman stabbed a jewish man who shot her. This took place at the 5th Station of the Cross. The City was again locked down for several hours. I was stuck exactly at the 5th Station on my way back from work at 11.30am. Then a series of other attacks followed throughout the day ... in Kiryat Gat in the south, Petah Tikva in Central Israel, then Maale Adumim north of Jerusalem and within Jerusalem itself. It was practically the most violent day since the last Intifada 15 years ago. To those who still think there is not an uprising, they should think again. The govt. appears to have lost control of the situation, jews are growing unhappy with the inability of the govt to cap the violence. Arabs say they have nothing to lose because their situation is getting worse under oppression and occupation. Most of these attackers are university students, intelligent, young ... but see no hope in their future. Getting a degree does not help them in starting a family, earning an income, living in a decent house, eating 3 meals, It's this sense of hopelessness that's spurring the violence. The constant remark I hear is "We have nothing to lose. We're already living in hell."

Thanks for the goodies

Yesterday morning we woke up to a chilly sunrise with dark grey skies. It was drizzling for a couple of hours by then and it continued to drizzle all morning. Very cool and it definitely gave a sense of winter. Everyone wore jackets and hoodies. They could feel the cold ... not just physical but perhaps also from the tension rising in the City.

Thanks for your kind gifts: Timtams, mooncakes, dried durians, jumpers, soup packs. rosary etc. ... Received everything in good state. Appreciate your kindness.Winter has started and a little comfort food goes a long way to make the dark cold afternoons livable.

Riots all over

Jews occupy El Wad street

So there were massive riots all over the Palestinian Territories yesterday: in Bethlehem where a 13 yr old arab was shot dead, in Ramallah, Jenin and even in Jaffa which is part of Israel ... everywhere except Jerusalem. It was relatively quiet here. The barriers and security checkpoints have been removed and arabs are now free to enter the Old City but military presence is still very heavy. Like I said yesterday ... not even during the Intifadas have there been such drastic tactics to deal with arab terrorism. The houses of the arab killers (the ones that shot the jewish couple in Nablus last week) have been destroyed and the families cast out in the streets - it's collective punishment. Funny because those israelis who killed the arab family last month have not yet been caught nor will their houses be destroyed.

Name and shame

Jews have now occupied El Wad street, specifically in front of Sharon's House where the killings occurred. They have a sit in / pray in ... and by afternoon a large part of the street was occupied; so much so that police and soldiers had to cordon it off because any arab who passed by were beaten up. The time for revenge is obvious ... eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. The newspapers are screaming "Israel's Right wants blood in the streets". Arabs are scared and are staying indoors. The occupiers have started a name and shame tactic by placing boards accusing accomplices to the murders in front of arab shops. They accuse these shop owners for having witnessed the stabbings but did nothing to help the victims. In fact the public prosecutor is going to start a case on these "accomplices". Funny because when arabs were attacked by jews in Ben Yehudi Mall and at train stations last year - all caught on camera - jewish witnesses who did nothing to help the victims were not called accomplices and they were not charged for neglecting to help the victims.

Life gets so complicated here. As one frenchman said recently in an interview "This is such a sad place to live in".

Old City lockdown

Security check at El Wad
street

The past 2 days witnessed a draconian measure taken by Israeli Police. The Old City was in a total lockdown. No arab allowed into the Old City except residents and business owners. Not even during the 2 Intifadas was this measure ever taken. Security barriers  at every junction in the Old City, and every 10 meters are a dozen soldiers and border police. Damascus Gate was like a fortress. All entry above the cavea was blocked off. If you succeeded in getting through that, there was another security barrier at Damascus Gate itself. Then further down the road at El Wad street, another checkpoint ... and further down the road at Austrian Hospice and 3rd Station, another checkpoint. Though tourists are allowed to enter freely, sometimes the soldiers ask for passports.

Deserted streets: checkpoint
at Austrian Hospice/3rd Station

All along Via Dolorosa there are soldiers every 10 meters. People are afraid to make the Way of the Cross after the terrorist shot at tourists on Saturday. Residents shut themselves indoors and most shops remained closed. It was virtually a curfew.

Jews on the other hand have been trying to force themselves into the Muslim Quarter to attack arabs and burn their property. They had previously attacked arab workers down in Mamilla Mall. Right now a group of young israeli jews have camped outside Sharon's House where the murders took place. The mood is tense and I doubt any arab dare to walk pass there today. Much as I didn't want to go out, I had to make several trips to buy medicine and food. It was very uneasy. Newspapers are asking if the 3rd Intifada had started. I say it already did ... last year.

Terror attack

Ambulance carrying off
victims while I was stuck in
the middle of the chaos

Was just caught up in a terrorist attack. Was going to see the doctor for my asthma at 7.30pm ... reaching the Austrian Hospice when just a few seconds earlier an arab terrorist stabbed 4 jews and shot at tourists. The terrorist was shot dead by police but not before 2 victims had died. A 2 yr old baby was hurt ... I was just 1 foot away from the baby when police carried him away. Horrifying.

Police began cordoning the area and shooing everyone out ... the area stretched from the beginning of El Wad street through Sharon's House down to the 3rd Station. However the police ignored me and I was stuck in the middle of this cordoned-off area for some 20 mins. I had several asthma attacks that time. Then a soldier came and asked mw what I was doing in there ... I said I needed to go to hospital. He accompanied to the 5th Station just outside the cordoned-off area and told me to wait.

Body of terrorist covered in
white cloth (the white thing
\in the middle of the tunnel)

I waited for another 15 mins, with several other attacks of asthma ... then some other soldiers saw me. They took my arm and helped me walk further up the street as I was quite weak from asthma and arabs were throwing stones. Sat there for some half hour till I felt better. Ambulances and police kept coming into the area ... and soldiers threatened to shoot stun grenades at the growing crowd of arabs. Knowing it was impossible to get out of the place to hospital, I slowly walked up to the 7th Station and down Khan Ezzeit street toward Damascus Gate. Soldiers along the road told me the Gate was closed. Anyway I reached the foot of Damascus gate and stayed there, next to the little shop of Abu George. From there I could see the body of the terrorist in the middle of the road in front of the nargileh shop.

Sat there for over 2 hours while arabs gathered and got very agitated as they wanted to go to Al Aqsa Mosque to pray. Things got heated up and finally soldiers fired stun grenades to disperse them. I had to run for shelter into Abu George's shop. One of my regular pharmacist was there and asked if I was ok and needed medicine. I was feeling much better and had a drink from Abu George. There were also riots up in Damascus Gate and stun grenades and tear gas were also fired. I was caught in the middle. But it was a safe place.

Finally when the entry to Damascus Gate was opened (but El Wad street was still cordoned off ... municipality workers were washing the blood off the street) I took a long detour and entered the City through Herod's Gate. Got home at 11.30pm.

This horrifying attack comes less than a day when another jewish couple was killed near Nablus. There will be revenge attacks. Things don't look good.

Friday

Waving the 4 species at the
Wailing Wall

Yesterday night saw the dreadful murder of a young jewish couple, shot in the head while driving through Palestinian Territory. In the car were their 4 children, all alive. This vicious murder will provoke jews to take revenge on arabs but killings and burnings. While not trivialising the murder, I cannot but think of the jewish murder of the arab family that left parents and baby burnt to death last month. The murderers have not been caught yet.

Today Friday saw a lot of tensions int he Old City as Israeli police took drastic measures by locking down the Muslim Quarter to muslims going to the Al Aqsa mosque to pray. Men below 50 yrs were not allowed to enter. In protest the men blocked the streets along the Al Aqsa and prayed in the streets. Several scuffles took place and stun grenades fired. I think tonight there'll be violence behind our house, as was the past few days. Another sleepless night. Mind you we living here are tired of these riots. It's the few trouble makers who're making life difficult for everyone.

Jaffa Street is packed with
people enjoying the festivities

Meanwhile the jews continue celebrating Sukkoth. Nothing is going to stop them. Men carry for the 4 species and wave them in the 4 corners of the earth during prayers. The 4 species are the date palm frond, a branch of myrtle, a branch of willow and an etrog which is a huge tasteless lemon.

In the New City, the night are packed with street markets, street performances and food. It's very festive but one thing is very obvious - there are no arabs in the streets. The tension between the 2 races are reaching a peak. Life in West Jerusalem during Sukkoth is full of fun. Kids carry balloons given free at street corners. But in East Jerusalem, the streets are empty as arabs stay indoors while soldiers patrol in groups of 5 or 12. There's an unspoken curfew.