Warzone

B"H

I haven't looked into the news and are not really up - to - date yet. So, I am just writing about the experiences I had this afternoon.

Still in Jerusalem, I was teaching some national religious kids when we heard police car sirens, ambulances and noise of helicopters. First, I thought that something had happened, as this is usually the case when you hear the sirens nonstop. Then I found out that the army had emptied out the "Peace House" in Hebron. There, hundreds of national religious youths, the so - called "Hilltop Youth" were on high alert but when the army came, they were still caught by surprise. Some people got injured but the house is empty now.

As a revenge for the surprise, national religious kids blocked the entrance road to Jerusalem. Then the real mess began. Army, police, helicopters, arrests. This was the noise we heard in the nearby neighbourhood of Kiryat Moshe this afternoon.

When I finished teaching, I went to the Central Bus Station and witnessed another demonstration. Some national religious kids blocked the junction Yemin Avot / Kanfei Nesharim Street in Kiryat Moshe. As soon as the police sirens were heard, the kids just ran and escaped in all directions.

Jerusalem was more a warzone when I left for Tel Aviv this evening. All important junctions are secured by police and everything seems to be on high alert. In Tel Aviv, people are relaxed and everything is so peaceful. Except for the regular madness, of course.

On the one hand, it is terrible what defense minister Ehud Barak did to the settlers. The "Peace House" is a legally owned Jewish property and there was no reason to throw the inhabitants out. I totally agree with the protests.

On the other hand, I am glad to be in Tel Aviv and have a normal life. Think about something else and not only about all the problems in this world.

Anyway, Shabbat I am going to spend in Jerusalem. Hopefully without too many tensions.