“Revenge is coming. Israel has opened the doors of hell”.
These are the latest comforting words from Hamas, following Israel’s attempt to kill a Palestinian leader yesterday. The other big local news is the resignation of the Palestinian PM, Mahmoud Abbas, which is adding to the uncertainty round the city. This morning’s Jerusalem Post was a gloomy enough breakfast read, but the real litmus test of public opinion came with my taxi ride to work. If you want to know the word on the streets, wherever you are in the world, ask a cabbie. This one had no doubt. “Arafat is the problem. He cannot move from terrorist to be a real leader of his people, and this is stopping everything. If he stays, there can be no peace. But if he goes, it will be war also. So peace is a very long way off. Until then, how many more deaths will it take?”
Well, in the words of the great Jewish prophet back in 1962 AD, “The answer my friend, is blowin’ in the wind…”
I was up at six for another run along the sea front. I’d hoped to make it as far as Jaffa again, but I felt tired and listless, and turned back after a mile and a half, having decided to settle for three miles. But even this modest distance defeated me, and I ended up run-walking the last half mile. I don’t think it was just my undoubted unfitness. The atmosphere is different here. Even this early in the morning it was hot, and the air felt heavy and humid. It just sucked the strength from me.
But at least I got out, and even if it wasn’t a great training run, it did help to wake me up which was part of the intention.
Arrived at work at 9am, and didn’t get out till 9pm. This seems likely to be the pattern for the week.
It’s great to be here, but on a number of fronts it’s quite hard work.
