Getting around should be easy for everyone with Israel's well constructed roadways but movement, for some, is not easy. The average Palestinian must daily pass through check points, wait in long lines and, often, get permission from the Israeli military before venturing into Israel proper. Our West Bank guide had to leave our bus and travel around areas that we could go through, but he could not, before re-joining our group. Had he been found on our bus, at those times, he could have been imprisoned. Conversely, when we entered the West Bank, our Israeli guide was prohibited from entry. He stayed on the bus believing he would look like a tourist if the bus was stopped. Only once were we boarded and searched. Nothing was found amiss.
Different levels of access (and citizenship) apply to Palestinians. Those that were living in the new state of Israel in 1948 were made full citizens. Their heirs remain so today. Palestinians who live in East Jerusalem have more freedom of movement than those who live on the West Bank. Nonetheless, for the average Palestinian, freedom of movement is quite restricted.
The two principal cities in Israel are Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Their metropolitan areas extend out so far, in both directions, that it is not clear where one stops and the other starts. It took us 45 minutes, by taxi, to get from the airport in Tel Aviv to our hotel in Jerusalem. These cities have lots of trees and vegetation but the desert is never far. The Sea of Galilee, where we had a sea cruise, was especially lovely with the Mount of Beatitudes in the distance.
We also visited the Dead Sea where we floated on the salty water and dabbed ourselves with Dead Sea mud, reputedly a cure all. I was selective and John went all out. While at the Dead Sea, we stayed at a kibbutz, an early form of Jewish settlement, based on the Russian commune model, where participants live and work collectively. Today's kibbutz has been highly privatized and are far less communal with some private ownership apparent. Nonetheless, young Israelis continue to join them.
We dipped our feet in the River Jordan where numerous tourists were present to be baptized. We walked Herod's hilltop fortress at Masada where the ancient structure, still apparent in large part, was the historic sight of the Jew's last stand against the Romans. We also visited Jericho, Bethlehem, Capernaum and Nazareth.
The "occupied territories," where we visited holy sites, met with government officials and had dinner at the home of our tour leader, include the West Bank, originally Jordanian land, and the Gaza Strip, originally Egyptian land, both lost in the 1967 Six Day War, as well as, the Golon Heights. Dinner was a rice and chicken dish called, "Upside Down." Dancing followed to traditional music.
Apart from of the lack of services, the military occupation and confiscation of Palestinian properties, the most serious problem in the "occupied territories" is the Jewish settlements. These were first built in 1995 and were a strategy by Ariel Sharon to avoid a two-state solution to the occupation. There are 300,000 Israelis living in 121 settlements in the "occupied territories" which offer lovely housing, good schools, complete shopping centers, and public services 24/7, all subsidized by the Israeli government. The international community considers the settlements to be illegal, a violation of the Geneva Accords. The Israelis disagree. The settlements are often built immediately next to a Palestinian city, such as Bethlehem. In recent years, a 16' concrete wall has been constructed around the West Bank with special "settler roads" that allow Israelis easy access to and from--no checkpoints.
We were cautioned by our guides to maintain a balanced perspective regarding the conflict. They worked very hard to present a balanced perspective and to ensure we heard multiple narratives. It is important to keep in mind that it was the Arab nations that attacked Israel in 1948; that Palestine has never had strong leadership; that Israel justifiably fears its neighbors and anti-semitism in the world and that, as currently configured, the West Bank and Gaza represent threats. Despite its justifications, Israel is clearly the more powerful of the two and the settlement intrusions have not strengthened ownership of the higher ground.
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