Bethlehem (300)

Last Friday of Ramadan

Very few people praying. Less than last week. From 10:00-4:00 only 1,000-1,500 worshipers passed. There are many bored military and civilian guards who spend their time courting one another and laughing. It seemed that more men than women passed. There are no smiles and the reaction to my Holiday Greetings and Shalom is very cold. 

The taxi drivers claimed that people passed yesterday and stayed the night in Jerusalem. Finally it turned out that last evening only 400 people passed.