24h Jerusalem

Who owns falafel? Palestinians, LIbanese, Jordanians, Syrians and Israelis argue about this. The chef of a hotel near the Old City walls is a Syrian Orthodox Christian. He speaks Aramaic, the language of Jesus, and finds: Falafel belongs 100% to this region. It belongs to all the peoples of the Levant. The Levant, that is the east coast of the Mediterranean and its hinterland. In Arabic, it is called Ash-Sham and corresponds roughly to the region between the Euphrates and the Sinai in the Near East. Jerusalem is an expensive place. Every square inch is in hot demand. Rents are high, and construction is ongoing. In addition to the permanent residents of Jerusalem, there are also many temporary residents seeking housing: UN staff, non-governmental organizations, diplomats and correspondents from all over the world. In protest against the high cost of rent, a movement has formed to squat houses.