Someone is always demonstrating in Jerusalem,
with a banner displaying their cause by day,
or at night,
alone
or in a large gathering.
Some displays are colorful
and up for a day or two,
while the tent for the return of Gilad Shalit
has been up a very long time, as seen by the number of days of captivity displayed on top.
Paris Square is a favorite scene for protests
and for news broadcasts to around the world.
Most people walk past and try to ignore the small group of people dressed in black
in Paris Square who regularly protest “the occupation” on Friday afternoons,
but this week there was a pro-Israel counter demonstration.
After the hour-long protest ended,
police removed the barricades and a few young people waved flags.
The helicopter and extra police left, everyone seemed relaxed,
even the ladies in black.
But then a woman got up and started shouting at the boys with flags,
and one peacenik was heard telling a young high school boy that she hoped
he would return from his future army service in a coffin.
Cameras started rolling as the yelling got louder,
“Go back to America!” she screamed,
an Israeli “peace” demonstration.
The media is on the spot for any conflict, confrontation or violence, no matter how small.
Late Monday night saw a demonstration of a far different type and scale,
100,000 or more people came together
to pay their last respects to former chief Sephardi Rabbi Mordechai Eliahu,
may he rest in peace,
but this demonstration may not have made your local news.