One site in the West Bank I was keen on visiting was Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat’s grave in Ramallah. My interest stemmed from the fact that Arafat is buried on the grounds of his former headquarters and visiting his grave would be an excuse to be allowed in to see the compound. During the period … Continue reading
One evening while taking a very long walk along the Sinai coast of the Red Sea, we came across these Bedouins making tea along the beach. What was remarkable was that we were miles from any sign of civilization – it was as if these Bedouins had just materialized out of the desert like phantoms: … Continue reading
Given how much ink has been spilled about this site over the thousands of years (and with the rise of the digital age – ones and zeroes over the past tens of years), it is difficult to say much that has not already been said… Although this site has been controlled by Muslims since Jerusalem … Continue reading
The Sinai Peninsula is becoming interesting… In the year since Egypt’s Hosni Mubarak was toppled, most of the world’s attention has been focused on Cairo and the Nile heartland of Egypt. This is not surprising or inappropriate… The future of the Arab world’s most populous country is being determined in the struggle between the army … Continue reading
Water is important in the Middle East. Actually, it is important everywhere, but particularly so in the Middle East. One significant source of water in the Middle East comes from a karst spring found in the Golan Heights region of Israel. The water from this spring forms the Dan River which is the largest and … Continue reading
We often hear the term “Palestinian refugee camps” casually thrown around in any discussion of the Israeli/Palestinian situation… To me a “camp” is a temporary place with tents. And these refugee camps once did have tents fifty years ago. But, as I briefly mentioned in my post on Tripoli, the Palestinian refugee camps of today … Continue reading
The Velvet Rocket 