Yesterday, Wednesday, was Yom Yerushalyim – Jerusalem Day, which commemorates the re-unification of Jerusalem in 1967. An annual march through the city takes place, which passes through all the gates of the old city. We started on Ben Yehuda street – there were bands playing and people dancing in the streets waving flags. The procession arrived and everyone started Israeli dancing. The atmosphere was incredible and it was a lot of fun. The place was packed, and we made our way to the front to start walking towards the old city. All the roads were closed off and we walked down what is usually a busy main road down towards the Damascus gate and down into the Arab quarter. This was the first time I felt uneasy. The procession was huge and as we walked down to the Arab quarter, I couldn't help but view the marching crowd as an invasion on the Arab neighbourhood and I felt really nervous. We walked down the empty streets as the residents watched from windows and roofs. We walked past streets where soldiers guarded road blocks where Arabs stood on the other side watching us go past.

This was when the chanting started. I had no idea what to expect from this march. I knew it was a bit right wing, but I hadn't expected what I heard. Groups of youths – mostly religious yeshiva lads, marching through the streets chanting 'death to the Arabs' and 'Palestinians don't want peace'. I was so embarrassed. They went up to Arab kids and started shouting in their faces and stopped a woman carrying her shopping from passing by. I have never seen anything like it and I actually felt physically sick. The chanting continued and I just wanted to leave.

We walked into the Arab quarter through the Lions Gate and started to make our way through in hope we'd reach the kotel at some point. I wish I could have appreciated the Arab quarter, because it is extremely interesting and beautiful, but because of the abuse and disgusting behaviour going on around me, it was really hard. I saw the gate which led to Temple Mount which was really cool and a lot of the houses were covered in decorative paintings. Muslims cover their houses in these decorations to show that they have made the pilgrimige to Mecca or Medina, as it is traditional to make this journey once in your lifetime. I wish I could have seen more, rather than being made to feel physically sick and horrifically angry at what was happening. I just didn't feel right about being there – and it as though we had come along to rub their noses in the fact we won the war all those years ago. The arab quarter is not ours (in my opinion) it's theirs, and it felt like such an intrusion to be in their neighbourhood. It just made me realise that it isn't so one sided and Israel also has it's ugly side. I thought it was so hypercritical how these people (pretty much the religious far right extremists…) could march through the arab quarter shouting for all Arabs to be sent to their deaths whilst calling for peace. They're not doing much to help the peace process along by acting in such a way. It was disgusting, and I was so glad when we left. Some people said they wish that they hadn't gone, but I'm quite glad I did. I guess it's all a learning experience.

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