Bethlehem

We went to Bethlehem for an afternoon. It was my first time going into the PA. It was my first time seeing the wall (up close – there are many parts of Jerusalem from which you can see it at a distance) that Israel has constructed, unilaterally, between Jewish and Arab settlements in the West Bank (and separating the WB from Israel). It is big and ugly and it makes life remarkably difficult for people living behind it. It is not seen as an ideal solution, or a solution at all, to the problem by nearly anyone on either side. For Palestinians it restricts their movement, cuts them off from their families in other areas of the WB, makes it difficult to work and obtain things like food, medicine, education, medical treatment. For Israelis they see their government spending their tax dollars on something that is big, ugly, very detrimental to the international community’s perception of Israel and cuts them off from a population which they are intimately connected to economically. I don’t bring up both groups to suggest that they are equally affected. But the reality is that all the people living here are affected by it and none see this as a permanent solution. It has made living in Israel safer. Things are no longer exploding every day. The territory that was once open and easily traversable is now cut off in most places with a concrete gigantic wall. And Palestinians are behind that wall cut off from the world, cut off from their jobs, their families, their fields. And from the hills of Bethlehem you can see into Israel – where the people are not behind the wall. Granted they are in front of it, so to speak, but they are living lives immensely more free in comparison.

The trip to Bethlehem: We took a sheirut (public transport vehicle:) from East Jerusalem to Bethlehem. We got into the bloody hot shared taxi and waited a few minutes for it to fill up before it would leave. After it was filled it drove a short distance to where there was a “checkpoint”. It is in the middle of East Jerusalem and consists of a person from the Israeli Border Control/Police getting on and looking at everyone’s documentation. We had our American Passports – which I will never look at in the same way again after this experience. Everyone else in the taxi was Arab. Each person had a permit – a piece of paper that was given to them to come into Israel – to work, see a doctor, study, etc. The soldier took each paper and looked at the ID card of each passenger. When she got to us we just flashed the fact that we had American passports and she didn’t even take them to look at them. She then got out of the taxi and spent a few minutes, while we sat waiting, to look through the documents and then after some time gave us permission to drive away. We got to Bethlehem about 45 minutes after we first go into the sheirut. The trip, without beauracracy should have taken about 5-10 minutes drive. From my apartment in south Jerusalem I can walk faster to Bethlehem than I can to the center of town.

We got out of the taxi at the entrance to Bethlehem, which is now surrounded entirely by the wall I was describing above. There is a lookout tower right above the area where we get out as is a sign that says “Peace be With You”. We go through the inspection/entry process and once again are waved through with our passports. Once we entered we were immediately descended upon by the cab drivers. I wasn’t at all surprised by this. I was disturbed by the fact that I wasn’t surprised. I knew to expect anyone connected to the service industry eagerly approaching any tourist in a place that should be full of tourists being the place that it is with its rich history but which is empty because of the tense political and security situation. I mean, I certainly wouldn’t have gone without someone who knew the area and preferably also a man. Our first stop was to the Basilica of the Nativity and St Catherine’s Church. When you go into the Basilica the door is very low (I almost got in without ducking though, so hah:) called the Door of humility. The door was built by Christians to prevent Muslims from coming in on horseback. It was one of those times when you wish your camera could capture smell. It is the oldest church in existence that has been in continuous use. Everything is faded – sometimes all you can make out on the artwork and trimmings is the gold filigree. A small part of the original floor still exists although most of it was destroyed over years of conquerors and fighting. From somewhere in the building we could hear people praying…I thought of Weeza. I wondered what it would be like for you, weez. I hope you get to go someday.

Afterwards we headed to the market – walking around the market and seeing a little bit of the city. At one point a car honked and I was so startled, not because of the honk but because I realized that I hadn’t heard a honk yet and if I had been in Israel I would hear honking constantly – that’s Israel. The people were very warm and interested to hear where we were from, not a surprising question from people who have such trouble leaving where they are (I do not suggest that Palestinians are alone in this fate – most of the human race is in their position). Our last stop before heading out of town was a restaurant my friend was a little crazy about. It was no chu chai:) But I believe him that it was tasty. Meat, who needs it! The salads were delicious though…

Our trip back was inclusive of our friendly and courteous experience back through security. Oh, wait. By friendly and courteous I mean cold and lacking any human contact. We went through a big room that felt like a warehouse complete with ramps along the ceiling for soldiers to walk around and observe what is happening. Most of the process includes you dealing with machines, going through with absolutely no human in sight besides the others going through with you. Only at the end do you see a face – to look at your paperwork. Our trip back was uneventful – as I wish it would be for all of Bethlehem’s residents every day.

I don’t want Israel to be unsafe for its residents. I don’t want Palestinians to suffer behind a wall, under an occupation. I do not want my people to be occupiers.

That’s it for now. G’night. Laila tov.