Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Area C
, holding most of the West Bank's uninhabited land, is under complete
Israeli authority. While Area C is nominally a part of Palestine, there can be no
Palestinian building in Area C without Israeli permission (which is rarely granted).
Area C also includes modern Israeli highways that cut through the West Bank, con-
necting Jewish settlements in Palestine with Israel proper.
Checkpoints stand sternly at the boundary between Israeli-controlled land and
Palestinian territory. Some are manned; others are empty and a simple drive-
through; and “flying checkpoints” can pop up unexpectedly in the middle of
nowhere. But all checkpoints come with a watchtower reminding everyone that Is-
rael is keeping an eye on things. For Palestinians, the needless wasted time spent
sitting at these checkpoints is aggravating and humiliating. Driving by one, I saw
two soldiers checking papers one car at a time (holding up traffic in the opposite
direction and creating a huge traffic jam in the baking sun). Luckily, by the time I
returned, they were gone.
Although Palestinians still feel that they live at least partly under Israeli occu-
pation, they try to remember what an historic accomplishment it is that the land in
Area A is free and self-ruled, and has been since 1993—for the first time after cen-
turies of foreign control.
