Worlds Apart

Although I'm having a wonderful time on this trip, I am troubled. This is a country of huge contrasts and the story of a large number of these people is not being told. This is a country where two societies exist amd where those in power seem to do there best to keep the others down. Imagine a place where one group of people is not allowed to drive the primary road through their towns and where people cannot cross an arbitrary line without written permission from those who live on the other side of that line.

Such is the situation encountered when a person leaves Israel and enters the Palestinian Territories. We are currently in Bethlehem and the situation comes glaring up at you in all its glory. Our entrance to this city was made through a gate in the Israeli seperation wall and it is much like driving through a time warp. As you enter the city, you realize that all has changed. The license plates on cars, the color of the taxis, and the general look of things changes. Today we met our tour guide who is an Arab Christian from Jerusalem. In theory, it is illegal for him, as a citizen of Israel, to enter the Palestinian Territories at all. Were he to be found here, he would face fines and the possible loss of his tour guide license but he is undeterred.

From the Palestinian perspective, things are also strained. The primary road from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem travel through the Palestinian Territories yet it is usable by Israelis only. The Palestinians are forced to use bypass roads which travel below and out of sight of the Israelis on the main road. As another example, it is easier for a Palestinian to travel out of Amman Jordan than it is to fly out of Tel Aviv. In order to fly from the nearest airport, a Palestinian must receive permission to travel from the Israeli Authorities. This permission is often not given, is sometimes cancelled on short notice and is often not confirmed to exist until it is too late to travel. The Palestinians here in Bethlehem cannot even travel to Jerusalem without such permission. There are other examples but this isn't intended to be entirely depressing.

As to our trip, all see, to be having a wonderful time. Each of us hasa different things that we have enjoyed and we will all return with wonderful stories to share. For my part, I am taking the time to learn more about the people of this country and to see that even in negative situations there are angels and saints to be found. All of the people I've met have been warm and happy and they do not dislike Americans as the media would have us believe. They dont like our foreign policy not our people.

Enough out of me for now. Tomorrow starts at 6:30 am local time when we head out to the Dead Sea and Masada. The temp tomorrow is headed toward 110 degrees at the Dead Sea so I expect an exhausting day. God bless you all and thanks for supporting our mission to the Holy Land.

Ian