During a recent trip to Israel, on the afternoon and evening of our first day in the country, I heard something for the first time – explosions from missiles! After speaking to a few locals, I learned that it was coming from the Gaza Strip area, about 90 kms from Tel Aviv. They assured me Tel Aviv was safe as Israel had an “iron dome” anti missile defense system that was apparently “99% effective”. It was quite the experience. I grew up hearing about conflict in this area of the world, and places like the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Palestine, and Israel, were constantly in the news. However, being far away from it all, I never really looked into the issues and what was causing the conflict. Having now been to this region of the world, and taking the time to speak to locals on all sides of the issues, I now have a better understanding of the complex issues going on.
The explosions also had me questioning whether to go ahead with a planned excursion into Jerusalem and the West Bank, later in the trip. Finally, the day of the planned trip came. The night before, I had been researching extensively and reading over travel forums, and the news, about the current situation and safety in the area. I decided to go, and I’m really glad I did.
We started the day in Jerusalem. My first glimpse of the Dome of the Rock was surreal.
Next, our guide took us through all the four quarters of Jerusalem.
…and then I went to the Western Wall which was also a very cool experience.
For lunch, our guide took us to a place called Abu Shukri. With guides, you never know if where they are taking you will be authentic because A) they may be biased by having a relationship with the restaurant and/or b) it is my experience that even if you tell them you want a local experience far from tourists, they will either not fully understand the request or not believe you want a truly local place. Anyway, Abu Shukri was delicious and authentic from what I could tell.
After lunch, we went to the spot where Jesus was crucified. As I was raised Catholic coming from the Philippines, this site struck a cord in me, even though I don’t practice the religion regularly.
Next, we saw the place where Jesus’s body was placed after being taken down from the cross. Seeing people so emotional was moving.
After this, it was time to meet our other guide who would take us into Palestine. As Israelis cannot enter Palestine, our Israeli guide had to call his contact in Palestine and arrange for us to meet in a common zone where we could transfer to a Palestine Vehicle and guide. As we entered the West Bank, the excitement built and I was so glad we decided to go.
Seeing another country which I had heard so much about was an amazing experience.
In the West Bank, we only had time to visit Bethlehem and see the site where Jesus was born.
On the day we visited, we were lucky enough that the President of Palestine was also visiting the area at the same time and we got a glimpse of his convoy.
Our guide also showed us the wall separating Palestine and Israel.
After this, our guide arranged for us to meet back up with our Israeli guide to take us back to Tel Aviv. If you want to do the same itinerary, you should bring your passport with you although no one checked it. Apparently, there are no checks going into Palestine, but on the way out, an Israeli checkpoint may ask for it (we were not stopped and just waved through). Overall, I was so glad we went to this part of the world and took the time to learn about the issues affecting the region. I would recommend someone to do the same, but make sure to check the current situation and do your own research first, as the situation changes constantly.
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