March 14, 2006: Just Another Day in Paradise: Special report from correspondent Kevin Todd in Jerusalem

by Kevin Todd

It's been a relatively quiet few days here in Jerusalem and the West Bank. However, that all changed a little more than 2 hours ago. We got back to the hotel shortly after 5 p.m. local time or 10 a.m. your time. I powered up my laptop a short time later and started to scan the news. The biggest story to catch my eye was the Israeli operation in Jericho to capture the assassins of the tourism minister in 2002.

As I read the story, I was trying to figure out why the Palestinians were ticked off at us Americans and Brits. Well, it turns out they blame our monitors at the Jericho prison who mysteriously left the prison 20 minutes before the operation. Lot's of kidnappings of foreigners in Gaza and West Bank as a result.

Shortly before 6 p.m. local time, we got the call from our Country Director recommending that we stay at the hotel and not venture outside. We were planning to walk to the local restaurant strip to eat, but quickly changed our mind. We were told the area was probably safe, but to play it safe.

While at dinner, our security officer called us to verify our location per previous agreement and also advised that we stay at the hotel. We've been told that the security situation will be re-evaluated in the morning and a decision will be made then as to whether we will be allowed to travel to the office.

I returned to my room shortly after 7 p.m. and before I could click my laptop out of sleep-mode, I heard several loud pops. The pops have intensified over the past half hour, some extemely louder than others. In the middle was the loud sound of helicopters. I can only assume that these are military aircraft as I haven't seen any private aircraft in the skies during my entire visit. It is too dark to determine the number or direction, but my guess is that there were several headed in the direction of Jericho and Ramallah.

It has now quieted down a bit. Lots of quieter booms. I type that and there's a loud one. I'm trying to get updates from the BBC channel. One of the few in the hotel. And now the sound of more helicopters at 7:36 p.m.

The reporter in me is taking over. More helicopters at 7:39 p.m. and I decided to open both my window and the screen and I can see white flashes popping up around buildings that are blocking my direct view of the fight -- artillary flashes!

And now I'm seeing lights on the horizon. They rising from the ground into the air and disapearing. I assume these are artillary of some type. And now, at 7:48 the sparkling flash of fireworks just like the ones on the fourth of July. Trust me, the rest aren't fireworks. I don't think this is the Purim festival; that was last night on Purim Eve! Lots of flashes of lights and an ocassional firework.

And while all this is happening on the short horizon of the city, kids are playing in the streets and traffic is much the same as it has been around the local streets. As if nothing is happening. I guess that's the sad part of it all. Just another day in paradise!

Quite a contrast now, shortly before 9 p.m. local time... fireworks in some quadrants with cheering spectators and artillary in other quadrants. I say artillary only because I don't see the associated fireworks display. There's a distinct smell of something burning... I don't know from where.

There were just a bunch of loud booms... I hope those were just fireworks on the otherside of the hotel. I can't see anything, but the direction was different