The biggest December snow and rain storm in the modern history of Israel and the Palestinian territories hit on Wednesday night. Now a storm three times worse is bearing down on the epicenter.
For the many of the kids of Jerusalem, the storm has been much fun. Building snow men. Having snow ball fights. Sledding. Walking through and playing in the cold white stuff they rarely experience.
For the adults, however, it has been a different story. Roads in and out of Jerusalem were shut down by authorities after many cars slid off the roads or couldn’t climb the heights without snow tires or chains. Many commuters who live in Jerusalem were stranded and had to stay with friends or in hotels. Tens of thousands of Israelis are without electricity. Many poor and needs — Jews and Arabs — have no heat, or have a difficult time affording enough heat. In the coastal and desert areas there was no snow, much intense, driving rains (which I experienced while still there) that caused flooding in some regions.
The first snow fall in a hundred years hit Cairo. Snow also hit parts of Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. Now the first Israeli death of the storm has been reported.
