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In Pictures: Jerusalem turns white after rare snowfall

Jerusalem woke up to a rare experience, with its holy sites under a layer of white after an overnight snowstorm.

Children play as the old city is covered in snow, in Jerusalem. [Abir Sultan/EPA]
Children play as the old city is covered in snow, in Jerusalem. [Abir Sultan/EPA]
18 Feb 2021

Jerusalem woke up to the rare experience of seeing its holy sites covered in snow on Thursday, with the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall under a layer of white after an overnight snowstorm.

Before dawn children were up hurling snowballs at each other outside the Old City gates, as the faithful trudged to sites holy to Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

The snowstorm began on Wednesday evening, leading the authorities to shut down public transportation and block the main road to Jerusalem.

But as it eased overnight the municipality said it would resume services.

The snowfall, which also landed in Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, covered areas in the region it has not reached in years, disrupting traffic and postponing vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 and even exams at some universities.

Israel's controversial separation wall and the Palestinian Shuafat refugee camp following heavy snowfall in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]
Israel's controversial separation wall and the Palestinian Shuafat refugee camp following heavy snowfall in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]
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People build a snowman in Sacher Park in Jerusalem. [Abir Sultan/EPA]
People build a snowman in Sacher Park in Jerusalem. [Abir Sultan/EPA]
People play with snow and take selfies in Jerusalem. The authorities forecast heavy thunderstorms and cold temperatures across much of the country. [Ammar Awad/Reuters]
People play with snow and take selfies in Jerusalem. The authorities forecast heavy thunderstorms and cold temperatures across much of the country. [Ammar Awad/Reuters]
A woman holding a dog slides down a snow-covered slope. [Menahem Kahana/AFP]
A woman holding a dog slides down a snow-covered slope. [Menahem Kahana/AFP]
People walk as snow falls on a main street in Jerusalem. [Abir Sultan/EPA]
People walk as snow falls on a main street in Jerusalem. [Abir Sultan/EPA]
The snowfall disrupting traffic in the city. [Atef Safadi/EPA]
The snowfall disrupting traffic in the city. [Atef Safadi/EPA]
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A man poses with a snowman wearing a protestive mask at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]
A man poses with a snowman wearing a protestive mask at Damascus Gate in Jerusalem's Old City. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]
Roofs of Jerusalem's Old City are covered with snow during a snowy morning in Jerusalem. [Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters]
Roofs of Jerusalem's Old City are covered with snow during a snowy morning in Jerusalem. [Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters]
A bulldozer clears a snow-covered road along the walls of Jerusalem. [Emmanuel Dunand/AFP]
A bulldozer clears a snow-covered road along the walls of Jerusalem. [Emmanuel Dunand/AFP]
Snow falls at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]
Snow falls at the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound. [Ahmad Gharabli/AFP]
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