Is it Friday?

The Eastern Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem awakes to a busy morning. A low and distant buzzing noise is coming from the streets. It climbs walls, crosses fences and penetrates windows. It fills rooms and entire houses. The streets are beginning to flood with people. Women with veils. Men with prayer mats on their shoulders. Some wear Hilfiger and Nike, others came in their traditional Bedouin dresses. They are hard working people. Farmers from the Westbank with rugged hands. Others from the north in their suits with shirt and tie. Old and young. Fit and frail. They squeeze through the narrow alleyways of this holy place. Vendors yell the prices of their goods through the streets. Heavily armed security at every corner. Children scuttle behind their parents, eager not to lose them in the crowd and helicopter blades cut through the air above the city. Everyone is heading into the same direction. Al Aqsa Mosque.
I think it’s Friday. The Muslims’ day of worship. But wait! Isn't it Friday? The day of the Passion of Christ. Or is it Friday? The beginning of the Jewish Shabbat.

© Dominic Prüßner

Making peace has proved unsuccessful in this country for so many years and sometimes I wonder: how about we all just allow peace for a minute?
(KM)