Tuesday, May 8, 2018 8:16 PM

A sudden street fair erupts at the center of town. It's Jerusalem Day, celebrating Israel's entry to that city, fifty one years ago. Children fill the square in front of the Great Synagogue. A sound truck blasts recorded music. A drum circle pounds its own rhythms, out of sync with the songs. There are more police than I've ever seen here before. Across the street, tour buses spew seemingly endless torrents of high school boys. My bus, when it comes, can only move a few meters before it has to maneuver around a cluster of police cars. The driver stops, opens the door, and yells at the police: "You guys always block the bus lanes. Don't be stupid!" A cop shrugs. The driver slams the door shut, gestures at the cars honking behind him, then joins the honking, demanding that the traffic light in front of him turn green.