Snow carpets Jerusalem first time in four years

Jerusalem and much of Israel and the Palestinian territories were carpeted with snow on Friday for the first time in four years as wintry weather swept through the region.A light dusting of snow covered the Al-Aqsa mosque compound and the alley ways of Jerusalems Old City, while heavier snowfalls were reported in the Galilee region of northern Israel and the Hebron area of the southern West Bank, where a number of roads were blocked.Israeli public radio reported that schools were closed in the worst affected areas. Intercity bus services were cancelled across the country.More than three metres (10 feet) of snow were recorded on the summit of Mount Hermon in the occupied Golan Heights, where it had been falling since Wednesday.It was the Holy Lands first significant snowfall since winter 2008, when there was major disruption across the region.