The West Bank
The West Bank is one of the most elusive places to visit when in Israel. As one of the 2 Palestinian controlled areas (along with Gaza) visiting the West Bank requires extra controls and security measures. A combination of a few guided trips by Abraham Hostel (the hostel I stayed a week in) got me to some of the most interesting areas of the West Bank: Bethlehem, Jericho and Hebron.
Bethlehem: Only a 30 minutes drive from Jerusalem, Bethlehem is an easy adventure into the West Bank. As Jesus’ birthplace, Bethlehem gets a huge amount of religious tourism. However, across my 2 visits to the town, I was able to see both the religious and cultural sides of the town. Evidently, much of my time was spent around the Church of the Nativity: Jesus’ birthplace. While I am not Christian, watching the number of people finding significance in this location was awe inspiring. My first trip to this location, a group of nearly 50 El-Salvadorians were crying as they walked down into the cove where scriptures say Jesus was born.
Walking around the non-religious portions of town brought me to famous Banksy artwork and the Peace Wall. I was able to see and take photos in front of the famous “Make Hummus not War” slogan. Aside from the slogan, gorgeous street art filled the wall covering topics from simple cartoons to the Israel-Palestine conflict. My time in Bethlehem was fascinating and got me interested in exploring other portions of the West Bank.
Jericho: On my second trip into the West Bank, I visited Jericho (and nearby Ramallah). Jericho is widely regarded as the oldest city on earth, with evidence suggesting over 10,000 years of inhabitants. Walking through the Tel-Sultan World Heritage Site gives a unique perspective on life in Jericho. I was able to see the ruins of the city along with interpretation of the city’s history. Ramallah, on the other hand, is the administrative capital of the West Bank. An eye opening trip to the Ramallah market and the Tomb of Arafat concluded my trip to the Northern areas of the West Bank.
Hebron: I often walk away from my 3 months in Israel saying that my day in Hebron was the most influential day in the country. On my last day in Israel, I took the dual-narrative tour of Hebron, visiting both the Palestinian and Israeli controlled areas of the city. The first half of the day was spent in the Palestinian city limits. There, I learned about the Palestinian side of the conflict and was able to visit the city market and the Muslim side of the Tomb of the Patriarchs (the second holiest location in Judaism). Following, I visited the Israel part of the city. Beginning with the Jewish side of the Tomb of the Patriarchs, I was able to see the ancient city of Hebron and the museum of the Hebron Massacre. After visiting a viewpoint of the city and the Tomb of Esau, we headed back to Jerusalem on the way to catch my flight back to North America. Hebron is a primary example of the Israel-Palestine conflict and I truly believe one cannot understand the tension without visiting a city like Hebron.
