Jewish Settlements Israel
Jewish Settlements
Despite their fortress-like appearance, Jewish settlements like
this one near Bethlehem in the West Bank provide homes with modern comforts to Jewish
families. Also near Bethlehem is a refugee camp for the displaced
Palestinians, who live in conditions far inferior
to those in the Jewish settlements (Palestinian refugee camps are the most densely populated places in the
world).
In Jerusalem, I met an American aid worker who explained that life was tough for the Palestinians in the West Bank by design. Israel wants them to emigrate and free up land for more Jewish settlements. So the "fence" runs through villages, commuters to Israel are made to queue at the check-points at 2am, etc. She also said there is a political effort to block religious outreach to the Palestinians. Why? American Christians today accept the oppression of Palestinian Muslims, but that could change if significant numbers of Palestinians were to become Christian.
Travel Tip
You will need your passport to cross the Bethlehem checkpoint, from where you need to take a dilapidated Palestinian taxi to Bethlehem. While the fare can be negotiated down, a generous fare/tip most likely will have an impact on the dinner table of your driver's family that evening. You don't have to look far to see hardship. My driver looked 60 but turned out to be only 39.
In Jerusalem, I met an American aid worker who explained that life was tough for the Palestinians in the West Bank by design. Israel wants them to emigrate and free up land for more Jewish settlements. So the "fence" runs through villages, commuters to Israel are made to queue at the check-points at 2am, etc. She also said there is a political effort to block religious outreach to the Palestinians. Why? American Christians today accept the oppression of Palestinian Muslims, but that could change if significant numbers of Palestinians were to become Christian.
Travel Tip
You will need your passport to cross the Bethlehem checkpoint, from where you need to take a dilapidated Palestinian taxi to Bethlehem. While the fare can be negotiated down, a generous fare/tip most likely will have an impact on the dinner table of your driver's family that evening. You don't have to look far to see hardship. My driver looked 60 but turned out to be only 39.