The Bruner Family Journey: Journey To Other Side: The Wall And The West Bank

Walking in the wall's shadow in Bethlehem

I wanted to travel to the West Bank for three reasons. First, I am an adventurous traveler. I want to see everything. If a place has a notable historic attraction, or if it presents an opportunity to gain an insight into a different culture, or if there's a scenic landscape worth seeing, I want to be there. Second, I felt it was important to see the West Bank in order to understand the situation there as best as I can. Third, I've always believed that talking with people one-on-one helps to break down barriers and increase respect and understanding among those with political, religious, ethnic or other differences. Indeed, a Palestinian man I met in Ramallah said that he was pleased to have a nice talk with a Jewish person, as he hadn't meaningfully interacted with one - outside of a military checkpoint - in a long time.

Traveling in the West Bank certainly isn't easy from a logistical standpoint. Looking at my map of Israel, I've roughly estimated that it's about 50-60 kilometers (or 30-35 miles) from Tel Aviv to Nablus, the largest city in the northern part of the West Bank. But the round trip journey took almost eight hours. The arduous and circuitous return trip, for example, involved catching a shared taxi from Nablus to Ramallah, then waiting to catch a shared taxi from Ramallah to the Qalandiya checkpoint, then waiting on a long, slow line to pass through the checkpoint on foot, then catching an Arab bus from the Israeli side of the checkpoint to the Damascus Gate, then boarding a Jerusalem municipal bus to the city's central bus station, then waiting to catch an intercity bus back to Tel Aviv. The Qalandiya checkpoint - a dusty, congested tangle of steel and concrete - is particularly ominous and is not a fun place to hang around.

Palestinian side of the Qalandiya checkpoint

On line at the Qalandiya checkpoint

Israeli side of the Qalandiya checkpoint

It can also be difficult to figure out exactly where you are at any given point in time. The path of the Separation Barrier can be quite tortuous in places. There are open gaps that have yet to be completed and, instead of following a straight line, the barrier curves over hills and valleys and around power facilities, natural features, buildings, and communities. And once you are within the confines of the West Bank, there are three different designated areas. Area A, which Israelis are forbidden to enter (by order of the Israeli government, for security reasons), consists mainly of the urban areas and is under the control of the Palestinian Authority. Area B consists mainly of rural areas and is under Palestinian civil administration but Israeli military control. Area C consists mainly of the highway network and Israeli settlements and is under full Israeli control. The patchwork of different areas and various checkpoints can be quite confusing.

As a Jew, traveling in the West Bank isn't easy on the conscience either. I'm not into bashing Israel and frankly I think many fail to recognize the severe pressures that Israel is under. I have no illusions about the grave threats that Israel faces from terrorist groups and nations that seek to destroy it. I also give Israel a lot of credit for being a vibrant democracy with free elections, a broad diversity of viewpoints, and the freedom for minority religions to worship openly, a rarity in this part of the world.

But it seems to me that the current situation in the West Bank simply isn't tenable, morally or practically. Morally, it's heart-wrenching to hear the stories of ordinary Palestinians who have been separated from their relatives, jobs, farm fields and water sources, and who long for things we consider basic necessities in the United States - political freedom, equal treatment under the law, the ability to travel from one place to another, and a chance to earn a good living for one's family. It's also sad to see how some Israelis have become totally desensitized to the indignities and suffering that the Palestinians are forced to endure. Practically, a large and growing population of aggrieved Arabs with restricted economic opportunities is not a good thing for Israel. Clearly, there are serious safety risks posed by ceding control, as evidenced by the Israeli withdrawals from southern Lebanon and Gaza, which resulted in increased terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians. But there's also a serious risk to Israel in continuing with the current path it's on - both in terms of its long-term security and in terms of the kind of society Israel wants to be and the values it ultimately wants to espouse.

A good number of Israelis with whom we've spoken are not comfortable with the situation. They generally support the construction of the Separation Barrier (which has helped to reduce significantly the number of terrorist acts in Israel), but ultimately they want peace and economic trade with their neighbors. They don't like being seen as the "oppressor" and they lament the housing and other social policies that result in unfair treatment of Arabs, both in Israel and in the West Bank.  Many people we've met certainly don't agree with the extreme views of the Israeli far-right, which is in the minority but seems to be growing in power and influence. But many people also seem resigned to the situation, either out of fear, or because they don't see a viable alternative, or because they just don't want to deal with it. Some feel the situation is a necessary evil, to protect Israel's security.

Of course, all this raises the question of what Israel should do given the very difficult choices it faces. Well, I have my own views on that, but I don't have any definitive answers, and the purpose of this blog isn't to expound my political positions (well, not too much anyway). Suffice it to say that I care deeply about Israel and its future, and I hope its leaders can find a productive way forward at this critical time.

In subsequent posts, I'll describe my adventures in the West Bank. I saw some fantastic sights, met some really interesting people, was treated uniformly with warmth and hospitality, ate some delicious food, learned a lot, and took a bunch of pictures. One of the lasting impressions I'll take with me is the resilience and humor of the Palestinians. I'll also remember many of the images painted on the Palestinian side of the barrier, ranging from messages of resistance, to messages of peace, to messages of hope, to restaurant menus (including the menu from the "Wall Lounge" in Bethlehem).

After a fantastic day of sightseeing in Jericho, my taxi driver urged me to tell my friends to visit the West Bank. "There so much to see here. More people should come. They shouldn't be afraid." It is indeed a fascinating destination for the adventurous traveler. I hope one day to return.