Palestinian Territories (Israel)
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Palestinian Territories
A visit to the Palestinian Territories on the West Bank is easy to arrange by yourself. Frequent public buses depart from Jerusalem to Bethlehem, which is a good place to stay at least two nights. A big advantage is that during the weekend business is as usual because there’s no Shabbat. From Jerusalem to Bethlehem is only 30 minutes by bus. The best way to get around on the West Bank is by taxi, which is low priced at about EUR 8,50 per hour. Distances are not big so two days a taxi for about five hours gives to enough time to see major sights around Bethlehem and Hebron.
Of course Bethlehem has its sights like the Church of Nativity, the old centre but also the Israeli West Bank barrier/ separation wall. Outside Bethlehem are important highlights the ruins of Herodium and Mar Saba Monastery. Finally there are the Jewish settlements as an “attraction” to set an eye on. The ruins of Herodium is one of the places where an admission fee is charged by Israeli soldiers on Palestinian territory.
Hebron can be visited from Bethlehem. An interesting opportunity to see in reality what the conflict of Palestinian people and Israelis is about. Important to check before departure the safety situation because tensions are not unheard of. In Hebron Jewish and Palestinians live really next to each other just separated by a fence or a checkpoint which is manned by soldiers with a rifle.
