The road to Susiya… With all of the excitement in North Korea and Syria Boston at the moment, the protests and upheaval in the West Bank over the past few months has gone relatively unnoticed by the broader world. However, enough of you have noticed it that I have gotten several email requests for more … Continue reading »
When I use the term “Occupied Palestine”, I am referring to the West Bank. Although Israel has the Gaza Strip tightly encircled, Hamas runs Gaza. And if Israel does enter Gaza, they must do so with a full-scale military invasion. That is not the case in the West Bank, which is firmly under Israeli control. … Continue reading »
Sitting in the largest and deepest basin in the world, the Dead Sea presents us with one of the most unique environments to be found on our planet. This sign is found near the top of the cliffs that drop down to the Dead Sea… But, with its surface now almost 1,400 feet below sea … Continue reading »
It may not be quite as tranquil anymore as the above poster would suggest… However, the impression below that most individuals have of the Palestinian Territories of Gaza and the West Bank is not entirely accurate either: I will certainly get into that side of the Palestinian Territories in the future. However, before launching into … Continue reading »
Yes, those good Samaritans we’ve all heard of… Historically, Samaritans were a large community — up to more than a million in late Roman times – but over the subsequent centuries their numbers have been reduced until today there are a total of only 745 Samaritans left in the entire world. These remaining Samaritans live … Continue reading »
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 »
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 »
