D-Day

Checkpoint at New Gate

Clashes in Qalandya, Nablus and south Jerusalem. 1 killed. But in the Old City there was relative calm. Massive police/military presence. City Gates and streets leading to the Muslim Quarter have all been closed. Only men above 50 yrs and tourists were allowed to enter.  I wanted to take some photos but couldn't.  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/report-palestinian-killed-in-west-bank-clashes-with-israeli-forces-1.386341

Till now, Abbas has not brought up the issue to the UN. It will be a little later today. Then the vote will be taken, and we'll see how the arabs will take the result. If there'll be any violence, it should come later tonight when the vote is taken. Let's see and hope for the best.

Meantime many shops have remained close due to fear of riots. The streets were deathly quiet. Hardly anyone walked outside. Only the few tourist groups continued to make their usual route.

I'm still down with a virus ... or some say it's bronchitis. Rasping cough, fever, sore throat and lots of phlegm. Got antibiotic and flu tablets from the pharmacy - but the medicine makes me very sleepy. In fact slept during work yesterday. Dydy my editor had to wake me up several times. I hope to get better by Monday when I see the doc for pre-op check-up.

Important

Dear people, thanks for your concern but please stop circulating emails and collection. I did not authorise them and I do not need them. It is causing me great distress.

Wednesday of discontent

Thousands of Palestinians throughout the Occupied Territories are marching right now to support their bid for independent nationhood. Let's hope it won't get violent. I can't believe Obama as we watched the news this morning. He actually welcomed the Libyan leader of the Transitory Council with words to the effect that USA is supporting the independent movement in Libya and will continue to support it; but Obama will NOT support the Palestinians as they seek independence this Friday. Bloody hypocritical and double-standard. You see the true face of American leadership this week. "You have been weighed and found wanting" ... divine justice can be so simple yet terrifying.

Whoever sent me 3 boxes of mooncakes - NO THANKS! I had to pay US$50 taxes and walk 1km with the huge postal box back home. And I DO NOT eat mooncakes. It was a bloody waste of money, time and energy for me. I can't even afford to pay for my next operation and am trying to save as much as I can ... and now I have to pay US$50 for something that I cannot use.

And there is a place in hell for some people who continuously harass me ....

Another day nearer

Rhetoric is tuned up as Mahmoud Abbas goes to NY for the UN session, to push for Palestinian statehood.  Goodness knows how things will turn out. No one wants war or violence ... that much we are sure. Please let this Friday pass quietly.

As Sukkot draws near, Egypt has decided to stop its export of palm fronds to Israel required for the feast. Israel is now turning to Gaza and Palestine for fronds. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/egypt-bans-export-of-palm-fronds-ahead-of-jewish-holiday-of-sukkot-1.385247

And the big crocodile escape last week is now responded by an expert warning that these escape specimens might be breeding in the wild. But think about this ... why were they killed off in the first place? They were in the rivers of Israel long before humans came to inhabit it. http://www.jpost.com/Sci-Tech/Article.aspx?id=238366

The sisters of Mother Theresa boiled rice and veggies for lunch for me. Very kind of them. But it ended with cramps and diarrhea. Apparently I'm not the only one suffering from this ... several other people I hear also suffer from the same effects after eating just about anything. Must be a powerful virus.

Tuna sandwich and war

Thanks to Sr Emilia's group, I could buy a nice bun for Sunday breakfast - something I stopped doing over a year ago when bread now costs over US$1. Went to my friend's shop "Everyday" and bought a tuna sandwich. It's the only day of the week that I eat breakfast ... well, actually twice a month to be exact ... since I only have half a cup of coffee and nothing else. Arik my friend makes the sandwiches himself. And it cost 10 shekels which is about US$2.

On a sombre note, yesterday saw the first test of Israel's military in the face of Palestinian violence. At the Qalandya checkpoint between Samaria and Judah, Palestinians held a demonstration against Israel which the IDF responded with might - closing down the checkpoint. Some of Motehr Theresa's sisters who came out of Samaria to Jerusalem could not return home and had to spend the night at their Jerusalem convent. Lucky for them I had extra fish curry cooked and brought them over for their dinner.

This morning during Mass, military helicopters were flying very low above our place. Everyone was buzzing that there's problems in the Mosque. No one was optimistic about this week. We all expect some form of violence.

As things get heated up this week, the govt. is considering declaring emergency law to clamp down on violent demonstrations. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-mulls-emergency-laws-to-handle-palestinian-riots-in-west-bank-1.385065  But of course these  laws apply only to arabs and not provocative rightist Jewish settlers who equally create the violence.

So Friday 23rd is the day to watch. Whether or not the UN votes for Palestine, some form of violent reaction is expected .. if not from the arabs than from the jewish settlers.

Stigmata of St Francis

Opening of school year at Ratisbonne. Accompanied Hidri as he was alone. He was anxious over financial matters so I had to try settle his nerves. Poor chap. Anyway I need to find 5000 euros to finance his studies, food and lodging in order for him to be a priest. He'll be the first Ethiopic Catholic priest here in the Land if he succeeds. You might remember him as the refugee seminarian from an older blog. So if you can help, please do. This is an urgent appeal.

Anyway at the inauguration of the school year, I had the opportunity to meet some of my old students. They're into 3rd year now. And I'm very proud of them. Many professors say that they are the best batch of students the school ever had. Everyone from the class except Chuen the American Vietnamese was there. He's still in America. And Boris from Africa came in a football sports-shirt ... but the inauguration was a formal affair! He didn't bat an eyelid and felt comfortable as he was. That's how much confidence he has.

So far nothing unusual has been happening despite the rising tensions that you can feel in the streets. Police on horses now patrol East Jerusalem ... the horses are taller and larger than cars. People tend to walk faster at Damascus Gate, avoiding direct looks.

The markets are selling the last harvest of figs and peaches. The peaches are huge but not very tasty, being the last batch on the tree. So are figs, which are much smaller. Prunes are almost over by now and the short season for limes is defnitiely over. Wish we could get bottled lime juice. It goes well with everything. Anyway yesterday I tried to make fish curry ... must say it tastes pretty good. Cooked it for Valerian from S'pore and Praveen from India. I can't eat it myself as my stomach still ends up in cramps and diarrhea.

Today we remember the Stigmatisation of St Francis. He received the 5 wounds on Mt. La Verna during a vision. It's a reminder that we all have to carry the wounds of Christ ... to be a christian is to be wounded for love and by love.

Time

As next Friday Sept. 23rd approaches, jitters are overwhelming the country. Israel is proposing another solution other than statehood for Palestine. http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/netanyahu-israel-will-agree-to-upgrade-of-palestinian-status-not-statehood-1.384716  Today soldiers were dressed in war fatigues throughout the Old City ... a frightening sight. Seen all that during the 1st and 2nd Intifada.

Unrest at Israeli embassies in Amman and Istanbul happened as expected. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/thousands-protest-against-murderous-israel-in-turkey-and-jordan-1.384702  Let's hope it doesn't spread. It's distracting from the main issue at hand.

Meantime groups have trickled to almost nothing ... fear of war. The feasts of Yom Kippur and Sukkot will not help much in drawing in groups. One just has to remember the violence during Sukkot 2 years ago.

Students are returning slowly as school starts in a few weeks time. For the new ones, it's an exciting start to a new adventure. For the old ones, well it's another year of trudging. Ilie, Vasile and Thiago were all married a week from each other.

So the summer holidays are ending. The weather is changing. Autumn strides in and we're all waiting for the change from Daylight Saving Time to normal time. It should be Oct. 2nd. I think Palestine has already switched. Time stops for no one.