An "Only in Israel" Moment

Yesterday after school, one of the middle school teachers was in such a rush changing into his basketball clothes, that he accidentally left his work clothes crumpled up in a ball in the bathroom. In any other country, the clothes would be thrown into the Lost and Found. At the American International School of Israel, however, this was cause for a major security alert. Our guards thought the discarded clothes suggested that someone had either 1. entered the school in a disguise and after passing through security was running around wreaking havoc, or 2. decided to commit suicide and flung off his clothes (as a statement of defeat?).

The US Embassy security guards were called in and a search of the campus grounds was underway before my absent-minded colleague returned to retrieve his pants.

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On a slightly related note (the quirks of living in Israel), the Workers' Federation of Israel-- the Histadrut-- started a public sector strike, effective this morning. This strike, which includes all local municipal workers, has shut down Ben-Gurion International Airport, all trains, all seaports, land borders, government offices, courts, etc. I am fortunate that the strike began today, rather than on Sunday, when we came back from Istanbul. Our school's Model UN team is not so lucky-- they were scheduled to depart for a conference in Paris at 1pm today.

Oh, update on the rapist-- he's been spotted in Ramat Aviv, just north of Tel Aviv. I guess a man running around with handcuffs is a pretty conspicuous sight.