It was 30 years ago today

On December 8, 1987, an Israeli civilian truck driver lost control of his vehicle as he passed the Gaza enclave’s large refugee encampment of Jabaliya. The truck smashed into an oncoming automobile filled with local Arabs, killing four of them. Instantly riots broke out, this time of unprecedented magnitude. Wielding knives and axes and hurling rocks, huge throngs soon overwhelmed the single, isolated detachment of Israeli troops. The soldiers responded with tear gas and gunfire, wounding 30 Arabs and killing one. The crowds finally dispersed. The next day, however, violent demonstrations erupted on the West Bank, in Nablus and the Balta refugee camp. Again military gunfire inflicted several casualties. During the ensuing week, additional thousands of troops had to be rushed in to confront riots that were exploding elsewhere throughout the territories, assuming the character of a spontaneous mass intifada, an “awakening.”

(from A History of Israel: From the Rise of Zionism to Our Times published by Alfred A. Knopf)

At the Last Trump?

Images courtesy of The Indian Express

Donald Trump made an announcement yesterday that put the Palestinian situation back into the spotlight. He kept his Presidential campaign promise to relocate the American Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Why?

Because the conservative Christians in the States believe that this will be the precursor of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. And it seems they voted for Mr Trump because he would be the ONLY one who had the nerve and naïvety to do this.

Hell in a Handcart

So now we must wait to see if a Third Intifada erupts in the Middle East: perhaps after Friday Prayers, today.

Is this really the Beginning of the End?