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Showing posts with label French Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Hill. Show all posts

May 27, 2017

Yasser and his razor knife

I'm not a masochist, but I don’t have a problem with Yasser stroking my neck with a razor knife. Yasser has a barber shop in that area of Jerusalem, which is just behind the wall. This is on walking distance from my home; for me it’s easy to get there, and his price is far below what I would have paid elsewhere.

January 13, 2017

Where is Ma'ale Eizariya?

Ma’ale Adumim is a city with a population of over 40.000 inhabitants. It is a commuter town for Jerusalem and the third-largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank.

Last week, the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee discussed annexing Ma’ale Adumim to the State of Israel (see also: Bennett vows to pursue Ma’ale Adumim annexation this month). Annexation of Ma’ale Adumim would strengthen the occupation of Palestinian lands. Moreover, plans to connect Ma’ale Adumim to Jerusalem create a barrier between the northern and southern parts of the West Bank, and complicate traveling and transport by Palestinians even more.

October 02, 2016

Ali Baba and his four daughters

My good friend Ali studies for a Masters degree in English translation at the AlQuds University in Abu Dis, a suburb of Jerusalem. At the same time, he makes a living as a building contractor in Israel. He is a bright, ambitious and lovable guy. However, that’s not the whole story


Ali is learning to believe in himself. June, 2016

















November 01, 2015

Balloons over Palestine

It's my birthday and I had planned to go out and have dinner with my friends, Yasser, Ali & Ahmad, in "our" restaurant in Hizma.



Planning meant that in the early afternoon Ahmad and I had checked with the restaurant that we'll have food and cake this same night. In the present political climate, the only Jewish friend I had dared telling my plan, made me promise to send her a message after returning home safely.

October 16, 2015

Still Tense?

A friend and colleague asked why I used the phrase "still tense" when referring to the situation in Jerusalem, mentioning that she doesn't see an indication of improvement. Another friend told me that "tense" is an understatement, adding that the situation is "crazy".


They are both right. Although I have a couple of other posts ready to be published, I felt I cannot simply pass by the present political state without addressing it directly. This crazy state, though not called "war", certainly feels like war. Moreover, there is no real sign of improvement.

The occupation continues to take its heavy toll. I cannot put it strong enough: Though on the Palestinian side, aggression is essentially the consequence of oppression; on the Israeli/Jewish side, aggression is fueled by fear (and not by reason)!

October 09, 2015

Support by friends

This wasn't my week...

The situation in Israel/Palestinian Authority is terribly tense between Arabs and Jews, everywhere, but especially in and around Jerusalem. Stone throwing, riots, violent attacks, destroyed property, wounded people and occasional deaths occur on a daily base. The neighborhood I live in, French Hill, is in the North of Jerusalem, just near the separation wall. It is inhabited mostly by Jews, but also Muslims and Christians live there. French Hill is surrounded by three Arab neighborhoods, Issawiya, Shuafat & Beth Hanina. As a result, violence is for me on walking distance, and police and soldiers are all over, even in the air. It's awfully depressing.