But first, a 'small' aside...

Ok, hands up who saw the news that Ramallah was invaded today?

Anyone?

Read the story and see a few pictures here.

I can't begin to express how serious this incursion was. Timed not at all coincidentally to coincide with Olmert's speech to the US congress (i.e. when that would be making the headlines), the Israel Defense Force (sic) incursion was the most serious attack on Ramallah since the invasion in 2003. This is Ramallah people. The army simply doesn't go there. Nablus, yes. Hebron, yes. Ramallah, no. Until today.

And they didn't just attack anywhere. It was the Manara. This is the Palestinian equivalent of Trafalgar Square. The attack, which really took people here by surprise (which itself is unusual), left the central area in a mess.

On a personal note, I had to delay my trip to the party, since it was being held in a reception hall on the edge of Ramallah. When I did arrive in the city (after getting the all clear from a friend who was there) the last ambulance carrying a martyr was driving to the hospital. Funnily enough (although I'm not laughing) this was the first time I've experienced Palestine as it is usually represented on the television news (gunfire and all). Needless to say, being a foreigner and walking past a crowd of angry and aggrieved Palestinians wasn't the most comfortable experience in my life, but most people were more concerned with clearing up the mess (broken glass, stones, various other items cluttering the street).

Let's hope this event was exceptional and not some sort of foreboding of events to come!