A Day of Protests: The Clouds Before the Storm?

This past Sunday, I had the privilege to hear Avi Issacharoff, the co-creator of Fauda and a journalist on Palestinian affairs, speak in Jerusalem. Among his many insightful remarks, Issacharoff emphasized the change the West Bank has undergone over his 17 years of experience in the field; Once a haven for terrorists, the disputed territory has transformed into a journalistically boring enclave of law and order. To illustrate this point, Issacharoff jokingly referenced to the recent parking ticket he received in Nablus and his difficulty in finding Palestinian terrorists to interview, as a result of the Palestinian Authority’s fierce domestic crackdown.

I heard this just four days ago. In Jerusalem. Today we witness a totally different reality.

Protests – some peaceful, others violent – accompanied by the names of the first casualties.

The temporary and teasing peace has vanished, at least for now. Fear and uncertainty consume Israelis and Palestinians alike. The question we ask ourselves, Where are we heading?

But in case you forgot, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.