Expecting to make up sleep, I pushed off going to sleep in order to enjoy some private down-time after the night meal of Shabbat/Simchat Torah/Shemini Atzeret/Friday night. At some point between midnight and 1:30 AM, I heard and saw a show of firecrackers coming from a Muslim-Arab neighborhood.
At the time, it puzzled me because ever since the Israeli authorities cracked down (finally!) on them shooting their fully automatic machine guns into the air, the Muslim-Arabs there now celebrate weddings, Muslim holidays, and the last day of school with setting off fireworks.
I didn't hear any music, wasn't aware of any holiday, and it certainly wasn't the start of summer vacation.
It also ended pretty quickly, like they just shot off some fireworks, and that was it.
At the time, I wondered whether they were trying to disturb us on our holiday.
But seeing as it isn't a well-known holiday among non-Jews and it was so short and at a time when most people were sleeping and wouldn't notice it, it didn't seem like a real attempt at harassment. Also, at that time of night, shooting off firecrackers for no reason would bother their own clan members — not something that would be tolerated.
Someone later suggested it may have been a signal.
It also could've just been young people fooling around (although it's weird they'd risk provoking their own clan members for the sake of fun).
It could also be there was some kind of celebration with music inaudible from where I stood.
But now, seeing as it occurred mere hours before the horror at the Gazan border, I can't help wondering whether they knew the savage plans were already underway and were celebrating that.
Maybe there was no connection to what happened hours later...or maybe there was.
Does anyone know or have any idea?
Did anyone else see anything like this?