Photo by Mark Philbrick
Security Updates
Friday, November 16
A missile defense siren went off in Jerusalem at about 5 p.m. today. The sirens are triggered when radar detects the trajectory and direction of a missile crossing the Gaza border, so the sirens went off as soon as it was clear where the longer range missiles were headed and well before anything could have made it to Jerusalem. Students in the Center went to the bomb shelters; students who were in West Jerusalem (East Jerusalem was off limits today because of tensions over the Gaza matters) went to shelters in the city, including some in the US Consulate's shelter since they were at Independence Park.
The Israeli Government has announced that one and possibly two missiles were fired at Jerusalem, following a Hamas boast that it was going to hit Jerusalem with a missile earlier today. The missiles fell into fields several miles south of Bethlehem, so they didn't reach the city. Still, this is the first time ever that anyone has tried to target Jerusalem with missiles. Whether it represents an escalation is, despite the US media that I've been watching, an open question: the Government quickly announced that Hamas doesn't have a stockpile of longer range small missiles and hinted that this was their only (symbolic) shot. In this regard, the Government also announced that people in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem should resume their normal activities -- that there were no further threats possible or expected. Life quickly (within 15 minutes!) returned to normal, with people on the streets and the restaurants full. And Jerusalem seems as quiet and peaceful as ever
The students leave for the Galilee on Monday. Until then, East Jerusalem will be off limits because of tensions, not because of missile threats.
Wednesday, November 14
Recent events in Gaza with the death of Ahmed Jaabari, the head of Hamass military wing, along with threats of retaliation, have heightened tensions in the area. Security personnel at the Jerusalem Center are carefully monitoring the situation and report that these events have not affected Jerusalem or any student activities. There has been no violence or threats of violence, and the area around the Center is quiet and safe.
Jerusalem is likely to be among the safest areas in the Middle East if there are retaliatory actions against Israel, and the safest area is East Jerusalem where the Center is located. No Muslim country or group is going to endanger the Dome of the Rock or Al Asqa mosques, the Old City or the Arab neighborhoods in the vicinity of the Old City. Students and faculty are planning to be in the Galilee for ten days beginning next Monday. Historically the Galilee has been tranquil and peaceful even when there have been tensions elsewhere.