EGAD
or, (de)mythologizing the fetish of placewherein our unlikely hero composes a series of
empirical geo-anthrospatial dispatches, aimed at establishing just where
he is, and perhaps even why it matters
As of just about now, the Gaza Strip is closed to all civilians; the Disengagement Law has gone into effect.
I would expect rapid development, and it's worth paying attention. In rough order of usefulness, I go by the English-language coverage at
and various blogs and other newspapers as I run across them. If all the Hebrew place names confuse you, open this interactive map of the Gaza settlements. Also, take a moment and flip through this photo gallery. By way of interpretation: orange means you oppose the disengagement, and rabbis wear sackcloth when they're sad and being dramatic about it.
Yesterday was Tesha B'Av, a day of mourning that traditionally coincides with catastrophe for the Jewish people (the First and Second Temples were destroyed on this day; the Jews were expelled from Spain; the Bar Kochba revolt was defeated; World War I began). The anti-pullout publicists are having a field day. Settlers and soldiers are already fighting, and at least one has gotten some attention by trying to declare independence. But nothing too serious, so far.
[Update 15 Aug '05]: How interesting! I seem to have accidentally used a link that returns whatever image is currently on the front page of the Jerusalem Post. Unintended, but kinda cool.