Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
good farmland, and religious and archeological sites within the West Bank. While it can
look landscaped and attractive from the Israeli side, the wall is gloomy and oppressive
from the Palestinian side.
Walking through the border checkpoint is enlightening and, for some people, uncom-
fortable. For a Western tourist, it's easy: Leaving Jerusalem, I took a cab to the check-
point, flashed my passport, walked through the turnstile, and hopped into one of the many
taxis waiting on the Palestinian side for the quick ride into downtown Bethlehem. But for
Palestinians heading for work in Jerusalem, it isn't nearly so simple. Like border towns
between rich and poor lands all over the world, workers with special passes cross every
day on their humiliating commute for higher-paying jobs in the more affluent country.
I can understand Israel's need for security. But my hunch was that the wall is designed
at least partly to separate people from people. And to me, that's part of the problem. I
sensed that the younger generation on both sides wanted to get beyond the baggage of
their parents and connect. But with this barrier, there's literally no common ground where
people from opposite sides can come together. Walls are ugly. They may be necessary at
times, but they represent a diplomatic failure.
In addition to the wall, Israel has steadily encroached upon Palestinian territory by
building hilltop settlements in the West Bank. Today over half a million Israeli Jews live
in settlements in Palestinian land (about a third of them in East Jerusalem, claimed both
by Israel and Palestine). These are planned communities—beautifully landscaped and de-
signed—offering the same modern conveniences and efficiency you'd expect in an Amer-
ican gated community. And thanks to Israeli government subsidies for housing and trans-
portation, young Jewish families can afford to live here and comfortably commute to jobs
back in Israel. For many, it's a deal too good to refuse.
