![Church of the Nativity Dome, Bethlehem [C_020747] | by Steven Christenson](http://live.staticflickr.com/5134/5459836837_8a6b63a0f9.jpg)
Church of the Nativity Dome, Bethlehem [C_020747]
All the Christian Holy Sites are covered by churches of all denominations: Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Catholic, and others. Sometimes with significant debates about who can best maintain and care for the sites. Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is these days a predominately Moslem area in Israel and as a "B" area it is noticeably different from the "C" (Israeli controlled) areas. For one, instead of signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English, the signage is only in Arabic and English. Israeli tour guides are prohibited (by rules) from entering B areas, so when we went to Bethlehem, we had a different - Palestinian - guide.
Economically the difference is tangible, too. Our Palestinian guide and hosts were very friendly. The nature of the conflicts between Arabs (and Palestinians) and Jews is something that I must admit typical American ignorance in.
In some areas of Israel there are big concrete walls separating Palestinian controlled areas from Israeli controlled areas. Apparently due to hostilities. They resemble sound walls around our freeways, but extend far from the freeways. It reminds me of Berlin and saddens me.
During a trip in Jordan to the Karek Castle, I had an eye-opening encounter with a Palestinian who explained that it was actually American soldiers who were "responsible for planting 80% of the bombs on the cars of unsuspecting locals who are stopped at checkpoints and remotely detonating them". Our Jordanian bus driver, Mahmud, agreed with him heartily. While I am 99.5% sure the US is not perpetuating such attacks, it's not surprising that this type of skewed bias arises - look at how Mubarak was blaming the uprising in Egypt on US interests and orchestration.\
© Copyright 2011, Steven Christenson
All rights reserved. Curious what "all rights reserved means?" it means that without written permission you may not: copy, transmit, modify, use, print or display this image in any context other than as it appears in Flickr.
Church of the Nativity Dome, Bethlehem [C_020747]
All the Christian Holy Sites are covered by churches of all denominations: Greek Orthodox, Coptic, Catholic, and others. Sometimes with significant debates about who can best maintain and care for the sites. Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is these days a predominately Moslem area in Israel and as a "B" area it is noticeably different from the "C" (Israeli controlled) areas. For one, instead of signs in Hebrew, Arabic and English, the signage is only in Arabic and English. Israeli tour guides are prohibited (by rules) from entering B areas, so when we went to Bethlehem, we had a different - Palestinian - guide.
Economically the difference is tangible, too. Our Palestinian guide and hosts were very friendly. The nature of the conflicts between Arabs (and Palestinians) and Jews is something that I must admit typical American ignorance in.
In some areas of Israel there are big concrete walls separating Palestinian controlled areas from Israeli controlled areas. Apparently due to hostilities. They resemble sound walls around our freeways, but extend far from the freeways. It reminds me of Berlin and saddens me.
During a trip in Jordan to the Karek Castle, I had an eye-opening encounter with a Palestinian who explained that it was actually American soldiers who were "responsible for planting 80% of the bombs on the cars of unsuspecting locals who are stopped at checkpoints and remotely detonating them". Our Jordanian bus driver, Mahmud, agreed with him heartily. While I am 99.5% sure the US is not perpetuating such attacks, it's not surprising that this type of skewed bias arises - look at how Mubarak was blaming the uprising in Egypt on US interests and orchestration.\
© Copyright 2011, Steven Christenson
All rights reserved. Curious what "all rights reserved means?" it means that without written permission you may not: copy, transmit, modify, use, print or display this image in any context other than as it appears in Flickr.