In Sheikh Jarrah

What an odd place. In Sheikh Jarrah, East Jerusalem, recently arrived Jewish Israeli residents have made themselves at home flying Israeli flags. I just saw two orthodox Jewish men walking down the main road towards the Kings' Tombs and the American colony, shadowed about 20 metres behind by an enormous chap with a startlingly large rifle. I thought to ask him for a photo for my blog, but the expression on his face wasn't entirely hospitable.

His machine was particularly fierce but, for those who haven't been in the 'Holy Land', guns are very much part of the scenery, although less so these days inside Palestinian Authority controlled areas. Travelling through 'Afula earlier, several young women were negotiating the combined challenge of handbags and heavy weaponry. The combination of haute couture - not always that much of it - and Galil assault rifle can be a surreal one, reminiscent of those old fantasy shoot 'em up games.

Sheikh Jarrah, meanwhile, remains the focus of weekly demos by the peace movement and locals. For more on the takeover of properties in the area, Ha'aretz has an interesting article.