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2013 Middle East Cold Snap, Alexa Winter Storm, Cairo, Egypt
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• Israel
Jerusalem was paralysed by its fiercest snowstorm in years, with its mayor calling out the army to help stranded motorists and authorities urging residents to stay indoors. Netanyahu called it a "once-in-a-century" storm.
In addition, roads were closed in Israel with thick clouds prompting Ben-Gurion International Airport to shut down forcing US Secretary of State John Kerry to cut short his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah to return in Israel before roads and airports were out of service. Jerusalem was cut off for 48 hours by deep snow and flooding and cars abandoned after they got stuck in snow.
After a day of lesser snow, a heavy snowstorm in 13 December 2013 deposited 40–60 cm (16–24 in) of snow in Jerusalem and between 60 and 100 cm (24 and 39 in) in the Golan Heights, and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in the Kefar Etzion area. Snow fell in Haifa for the first time in 22 years. In warmer parts of Israel very heavy rail fell and caused flooding. The railway into Jerusalem ran although it was Sabbath for people stranded by blocked roads.
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