Despite facing a COVID-19 outbreak in Jerusalem, Palestinians and Israelis have not been able, once more, to put their differences aside. The Jewish population is being treated and quarantining on the Western side of the city, whereas the Palestinians are doing the same in the Arab neighborhoods of the Eastern part. This long-lived antagonism has given birth to a unique project against the coronavirus, totally managed by Palestinian NGOs in a hotel located 5 minutes away from the Old City: the Saint George Hotel, owned by a Palestinian businessman.

The quarantine center organized in the hotel is the flagship of this alliance. Journalist Ahmad Budeiri, 40, is one of the coordinators of the project.

The Palestinian owner has put the hotel, for free, at the disposal of Palestinian Jerusalemites who have tested positive and don't have a place to quarantine, and people suspected of infection. A group of volunteers is assisting the dozens of people (students, workers and family members who cannot stay in their homes to avoid contagion to their relatives) who are spending the quarantine at the hotel, and also, Palestinian students abroad that came back to Jerusalem during the pandemic and were forced to quarantine for 14 days by decision of the Israeli authorities.

Stringer: Luis Carballo, Ayman Abu Ramuz.