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Subscribe to RSSIsraelis and Palestinians woke Friday to a rare sight in the usually temperate Holy Land: a thin blanket of snow.
Snow fell in Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Galilee, and the West Bank cities of Hebron and Bethlehem as residents and tourists alike ventured out to enjoy the unusual winter weather.
Local media reported that this was the first time in four years that snow had fallen in Jerusalem.
Marco Longari / AFP - Getty Images
A Palestinian man and his son stand next to a snowman outside their house on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Ramallah as wintry weather swept through the region on March 2, 2012.
Marco Longari / AFP - Getty Images
Israelis play in the snow in Jerusalem on March 2, 2012.
Marco Longari / AFP - Getty Images
Palestinian youths play with snowballs in Jerusalem on March 2, 2012.
Abir Sultan / EPA
Two Haredi (Ultra Orthodox ) Jews make their way through a snowstorm in the Mea Shaarim neighborhood of Jerusalem on March 2, 2012.
Bernat Armangue / AP
Ultra-orthodox Jewish youths dress a snowman in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighborhood on March 2, 2012.
Marco Longari / AFP - Getty Images
Snow falls on an olive tree in the West Bank city of Ramallah on March 2, 2012.
Darren Whiteside / Reuters
Melted ice trickles off the hat of a man as he visits the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City on March 2, 2012.
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Amazing how SIMPLE nature can make Israelis and Palestinians REVEL TOGETHER! TAKE THE HINT! WORLD!
It is wonderful to see the good, the peaceful, and "happy" side of these countries. It needs to be shown more often than its darker side.
Have you ever stopped to consider that all the troubled parts of the world have no real winter or worse, they have one long eternal summer?
You have never lived in Jerusalem. It is quite cold there in the winter, even if it doesn't snow. I have never been as cold as I was the year I lived in Jerusalem. Trust me, there is winter there.
Steve; They can't. Religion's only one of the myriad facets which make up a person to be utilized in an 'us vs. them' mode. Heck, even such a thing as whether one wears a pocket protector in a shirt pocket, or not, can be a designator.
The US has its problems, as well. The Republican fatawa against the President and women in general is one nasty problem. The children in both the House and Senate (both R and their annex D, with the stupid toddler games, need to be spanked and sent to bed without supper. These folks are *supposed* to be adults!
YOU can kiss your children! You can kiss your walls! You can kiss your rugs! But, if you can't REVEL TOGETHER! YOU can KISS THIS WORLD,GOODBYE!
Hell freezing over ?
my first thought. :)
This test has been conducted by the "Iranian Nuclear Fallout Diagnostic Committee". This was only a test.
If we spent as much time simplifying our lives as we spend complicating,WE would be so better off!
The beauty of Israel is even more exciting when g-d made it snow.Let the peoples realize they can do thing together as the world wants it to. Let there be peace in all of the Mid-west.
Nature can make all rejoice! Nature can make all repent! NO human being has that much POWER!
Actually, God does. This is how it was meant to be.
It's George W Bush's fault
Anyone want to get out of the snow and warm up? You're welcome to come to Detroit.
Thank You LORD for giving the Palestinians something to throw, besides Rocks or Molotov Cocktails.
Just wait... i hear "Snow-Ball Bombs" are coming...
Nice to see people having fun in such a troubled area of the world.
The planet is like an old refrigerator. The average temperature of the planet is dependent upon the melting ice of the polar ice caps i mean melting block of ice and remains nearly constant. Until the polar ice caps i mean ice block has completely melted. Then avg temps soar.
Very true the status quo has changed and as a result, que sera sera. No puttiing that genie back in the bottle
I was wondering where all the snow that was supposed to hit Oklahoma went, this now explains it!! :D
Yes, it is more than a little bit trite and oversimplified, but it is clear that, at least when it comes to a simple and glorious snowstorm, Isrealis and Palestineans CAN and DO agree on something. Isn't that how ALL negotiations start? How about you sit down and sign a declaration agreeing that you all love to see the Holy Land buried under a blanket of white and you love to hear your children laughing and enjoying the snow? Then, drink some tea and get to work on the rest of it.
Man Ken I wish it were just that easy over here. Nice thought though :) Best to you from Israel
nice story for a change.
Its those damn Ancient Aliens, making it snow in the desert.
Its not snow, its anthrax from Iran, don't eat it.
Global warming at it's best.
ALL weather events amplify when oceans warm
This one however is ho hum, not THAT unusual for an anomaly. Tune in to the news tobnight and see the significance of our warm winter. Several hundred tornadoes may form, and there but for the grace of God goes anybody
It's like snow purifies everything , but then it melts, Beautiful white stuff all over the place.
The pictures are beautiful. These two peoples lived as neighbors in peace throughout almost their entire existence. It wasn't until government use of media propaganda turned them against each other.
@alan-1380274
You're the biggest moron on this site!
Interesting how everyone on earth makes their snowmen the same. At least we all have that in common. Nice to see something besides violence coming from that part of the world.
The little ultra-orthodox snowman is so funny and cute!
May God bless you and let their be peace within your walls. Continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
Hell freezing oveR?
Where are the pictures of the Palestinians. Did they disappear during the snow or did the Israeli occupation forces forbid taking pictures of them?
If you read the captions... the Palestinians would be in the first and third pictures. So either you made your comment without bothering to read the captions under the pictures... or you just felt like trolling and trying to drum up anti-Israel sentiment.
Isn’t it nice on the rare occasion when we get a story about Israel and Palestinians that doesn’t involve them killing each other? That being said isn’t it equally sad when on those rare occasions we do get such a story that some people seem bound and determined to bring up incidents of them killing each other? And trumpeting their chosen cause?
I knew i liked you.
Sometimes it's nice to appreciate these moments for what they are... peaceful... serene... it is a beautiful land.
Thank you Archeim
Although I must admit I don’t find the land that beautiful (although that’s just my personal taste) but you are right it does look peaceful in those pics.
I’d also say that considering how people want to bring up the violence at every opportunity they get that it appears that said people seem to want peace over there less than the inhabitants do.
American Boxer is really a moron.
awesome photos! Leave it to Mother Nature to pause and reflect