Blog 9

Rush hour in Ramallah

I finished work early today and was just heading out of the building when I witnessed what can best be described as instant panic. The busy shopping street suddenly became a wave of running people trying to find shelter where ever they could. It wasn’t immediately apparent what the cause was. I bumped into Didi, a university student who works in the mobile phone shop in the lobby and sometimes practices her English on me – “the enemy have come” is what she told me.

In less than 30 seconds the street that had been full of people and cars was now deserted just in time for the arrival of two Israeli armoured bulldozers and about 20 jeeps. The convoy sped into town to the sound of heavy gunfire and explosions and made for my favourite round-about in the centre of town, just down from the office. There they remained for approximately one hour, the bulldozers pushing cars about and the constant sound of machine gun fire and explosions. I could see four Israeli gunships overhead and a drone, circling the centre of town discharging flares every now and then and occasionally unleashing ear splitting fire.

At this stage I was observing the scene crouched down behind a car in the street, which was now strewn with empty bullet casings. Every now and then I would be joined by a passer by and we would exchange pleasantries – “where are you from? – how do you like Ramallah?” etc etc as bricks and rocks rained down on the convoy near by and was returned with fire and stun grenades.

After being in town for about an hour the Israeli convoy came slowly back down the street met with a hail of stones and responding with intense fire from the ground and air, and then they were gone – rush hour in Ramallah.

Walking back up the street towards the round-about there were rocks and rubble everywhere, smashed up cars, the smell of tear gas and smoke, rubbish skips on fire and an extremely excited local population. Five minutes later I was home having a cup of tea and watching it all on Aljazeera. My apartment is centrally located as they say.

Reports say four killed and four Palestinians taken away. I hear that Bethlehem got a similar treatment. Israel has described the event as “a routine arrest operation”. The Israelis were apparently after two members of the Al-Aqsa martyrs brigade (the armed wing of Fatah) – both who apparently escaped.