Last week I went to Jaffa Gate hoping to get a great photo of
the mayor of Jerusalem repelling down the walls of the Old City.
The walls were built from 1535-1548 to protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
However, they did not stop the Jordanian Arab Legion from attacking in 1948,
destroying everything and forcing Jewish residents out of their homes.
![DSC01951](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/dsc01951.jpg)
This ruined synagogue is a reminder of that occupation from 1948-1967.
![IMG_5738](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_5738.jpg)
I did not see the mayor, but found this scene on the plaza by Jaffa Gate.
![IMG_5739](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_5739.jpg)
A group of Israeli soldiers paid no attention and walked by
![IMG_5734](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_5734.jpg)
as this woman who identified herself as a Palestinian journalist,
![IMG_5735](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_5735.jpg)
coached a sad-faced Arab vendor and tourist for the camera.
So much for the narrative of persecution under occupation
and no freedom of the press in Israel.
![IMG_8085](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_8085.jpg)
The Monastery of the Holy Cross was built during the 5th century
![IMG_8514](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_8514.jpg)
and was surrounded by high walls for protection.
![IMG_1237](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_1237.jpg)
Compare its walls to the new security fence as seen from Neve Yaakov.
In Jerusalem,
![IMG_6281](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_6281.jpg)
schools have high fences and guards at the door,
![IMG_3822](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_3822.jpg)
a new protective gate was put up near the Prime Minister’s official residence
![IMG_3584](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_3584.jpg)
and barbed wire surrounds some Jewish neighborhoods.
![IMG_4127](http://s629411786.onlinehome.us/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/img_4127.jpg)
Meanwhile, this is part of the fence on the Israeli border looking into Syria.
Ten years ago the Karina A was stopped in the Red Sea carrying
50 tons of weapons meant to destroy life in Israel.
In 2011, 627 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza,
with a rise in the number of attempts in December 2011,
even as tons after tons of goods, gas and materials go in regularly.
New IDF information reports Jerusalem will be a target for missiles,
as terrorists no longer care about the number of Arabs or
holy sites that might be hit.
It is a shame that the security walls of the past cannot protect us
from advanced weapons of mass destruction, Saudi hackers
or the lies and libels spread on the Internet.