March 9-East Jerusalem
My multi-day tour of 8 days was to begin today; however, with the virus restrictions, Green Olive Tours had to make some changes in the itinerary. Since Friday, the Israeli government closed down the West Bank. Essentially nobody within the towns and cities of the West Bank can leave their town/city limits.
Today began with an explanation of the Palestinian - Israeli Conflict/ Situation. There were 8 tourists and we traveled in a small van from location to location. We had a driver who probably was Palestinian with Israeli work permit (I am speculating; we just were introduced to me simply by his name.) The following is information from my notes from our Israeli Jewish tour guide with Green Olives Tours and supplemented from the information that is distributed in the booklet produced by Green Olives Tours.
Israel is homeland of two national movements. Before WWI, it was a Syrian/Damascus province of the Ottoman Empire. With the Ottoman picking the wrong side, the British cut up the area with arbitrary border. Palestine is the ancient name of the Moslem province.about 1,200 years ago. The group titled Zionists lobbied beginning in 1920 when the area consisted of about 10% Jews for the encouragement of Jewish immigration. The Zionist bought land from feudal absentee landlords and evicted entire villages. These evictions began riots in 1929. The British government investigated in 1930 and set some restrictions on the immigrations, but when the Zionists became upset, the British reduced the restrictions so then the Arabs became upset. There was a big influx of German Jews in 1933 so then the Great Arab Riot in 1936 in which the British locked the ports. The British trained militias and police and restricted immigration again. The Peele Commission who investigate the reasons for the riot, recommended for the first time a two-state solution. In 1939 the Palestinian leadership was destroyed. During WWII, 90% of the Zionists decided to fight with the British. Some of the Palestinians in exile met with Hitler and struck a deal to put a Palestinian in control at the end of the war. Hitler was stopped in Egypt. WWII ended and the Zionists told Britain to leave. "We have a Jewish State" and bombed King David Hotel. In 1947 the British, as a result of increasing local (Zionist and Palestinian) resistance to their rule, formally announced that they were leaving and the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 181 : the country would be divided in two noncontiguous entities, Jewish and Arab, while Jerusalem and parts of Bethlehem would become an international zone. The exiled Palestinian leadership rejected the proposed non-binding partition in principle, while the Zionists, also unsatisfied with the proposal, publicly announced acceptance.
After the 1948 war, at the Rhodes armistice talks, Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian representatives were present but Palestinians were not invited. Here the ‘Green Line’ was drawn, which expanded the Jewish state from 56% (assigned by the UN Partition Plan) to 78% of Western Mandatory Palestine. Most of the additional 22% were the areas occupied by Israel in Jerusalem, the Negev, and the Galilee, plus the city enclave of Jaffa. The rest of Mandatory Palestine, often referred to as the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was occupied by the Jordanian (West Bank) and Egyptian armies (Gaza) and stayed under those countries’ control while the city of Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan. West and East Jerusalem
Approximately 80% of the non-Jewish Palestinians, about 750,000 people, became refugees and were settled in camps in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and surrounding Arab countries, and to a lesser extent to Western countries. Some of those were actively chased out, most fled in fear. Almost none were allowed to return at the end of the war, despite UN Resolution 194 which required their return. In addition about 45,000 non-Jews were internally displaced and became refugees within the new state. About 60,000 Jews were expelled from their homes and lands which came under Jordanian rule and were absorbed into the new state of Israel.
The 1993 Oslo Accords, a five year interim agreement signed under American and European auspices, created a new “temporary” situation. The “core issues” – permanent borders, security arrangements, Jewish settlements, Palestinian refugees, water resources, airspace and Jerusalem – were set aside for the end of the process. Then the Israeli army redeployed out of less than 40% of the West Bank (termed areas “A” and “B”), mostly the larger Palestinian cities and towns, and took positions around and between them. The Palestinian Police was to maintain order within the cities.
The Israeli government began bypass roads around the Palestinian areas in the West Bank, connecting the Israeli settlements to each other and Israel. The settlement municipal boundaries expanded. These activities sent the messages to the Arabs that the Israeli government would not be agreeing to the Accords, and in 2000 there still was not an agreement so the 2nd Infantada occurred. Arafat died and Abbas was appointed, never voted in.
Jerusalem Hotel Lobby
Arabic Coffee
Damascus Gate-1530, Adrian-Roman below current Damascus Gate oldest wall is 1800 BC. This area receives the most surveillance. As we walked down the street after entering through the gate, we looked back and raised our heads. There waved several Israeli flags on an apartment, actually several apartments. Although considered Palestinian area, there are Israeli settlers around the top of much of East Jerusalem.
In 1996, there was a 3,000-year celebration by the Jews-"1,400 BC King David conquered Jerusalem." Taken biblical and declared by government.
Israeli police looking down on everybody entering the Damascus Gate
A few hours after the Israeli flag was hoisted over the Dome of the Rock in 1967 during the Six-Day War, Israelis lowered it on the orders of Moshe Dayan and invested the Muslim waqt (religious trust) with the authority to manage the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif, in order to "keep the peace."
An open door into the Dome of the Rock, but if not Muslem, rarely allowed in. Israeli police were at this gate. We were allowed to walk up to where they stood to take a picture.
Our Tour Guide showing a picture of the Plaza area
Western Wall - Women's area to pray. The Western Wall is a surviving remnant of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.
From Hebrew University, look over much of Jerusalem
Today began with an explanation of the Palestinian - Israeli Conflict/ Situation. There were 8 tourists and we traveled in a small van from location to location. We had a driver who probably was Palestinian with Israeli work permit (I am speculating; we just were introduced to me simply by his name.) The following is information from my notes from our Israeli Jewish tour guide with Green Olives Tours and supplemented from the information that is distributed in the booklet produced by Green Olives Tours.
Israel is homeland of two national movements. Before WWI, it was a Syrian/Damascus province of the Ottoman Empire. With the Ottoman picking the wrong side, the British cut up the area with arbitrary border. Palestine is the ancient name of the Moslem province.about 1,200 years ago. The group titled Zionists lobbied beginning in 1920 when the area consisted of about 10% Jews for the encouragement of Jewish immigration. The Zionist bought land from feudal absentee landlords and evicted entire villages. These evictions began riots in 1929. The British government investigated in 1930 and set some restrictions on the immigrations, but when the Zionists became upset, the British reduced the restrictions so then the Arabs became upset. There was a big influx of German Jews in 1933 so then the Great Arab Riot in 1936 in which the British locked the ports. The British trained militias and police and restricted immigration again. The Peele Commission who investigate the reasons for the riot, recommended for the first time a two-state solution. In 1939 the Palestinian leadership was destroyed. During WWII, 90% of the Zionists decided to fight with the British. Some of the Palestinians in exile met with Hitler and struck a deal to put a Palestinian in control at the end of the war. Hitler was stopped in Egypt. WWII ended and the Zionists told Britain to leave. "We have a Jewish State" and bombed King David Hotel. In 1947 the British, as a result of increasing local (Zionist and Palestinian) resistance to their rule, formally announced that they were leaving and the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 181 : the country would be divided in two noncontiguous entities, Jewish and Arab, while Jerusalem and parts of Bethlehem would become an international zone. The exiled Palestinian leadership rejected the proposed non-binding partition in principle, while the Zionists, also unsatisfied with the proposal, publicly announced acceptance.
After the 1948 war, at the Rhodes armistice talks, Egyptian, Syrian and Jordanian representatives were present but Palestinians were not invited. Here the ‘Green Line’ was drawn, which expanded the Jewish state from 56% (assigned by the UN Partition Plan) to 78% of Western Mandatory Palestine. Most of the additional 22% were the areas occupied by Israel in Jerusalem, the Negev, and the Galilee, plus the city enclave of Jaffa. The rest of Mandatory Palestine, often referred to as the West Bank and Gaza Strip, was occupied by the Jordanian (West Bank) and Egyptian armies (Gaza) and stayed under those countries’ control while the city of Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan. West and East Jerusalem
Approximately 80% of the non-Jewish Palestinians, about 750,000 people, became refugees and were settled in camps in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and surrounding Arab countries, and to a lesser extent to Western countries. Some of those were actively chased out, most fled in fear. Almost none were allowed to return at the end of the war, despite UN Resolution 194 which required their return. In addition about 45,000 non-Jews were internally displaced and became refugees within the new state. About 60,000 Jews were expelled from their homes and lands which came under Jordanian rule and were absorbed into the new state of Israel.
The 1993 Oslo Accords, a five year interim agreement signed under American and European auspices, created a new “temporary” situation. The “core issues” – permanent borders, security arrangements, Jewish settlements, Palestinian refugees, water resources, airspace and Jerusalem – were set aside for the end of the process. Then the Israeli army redeployed out of less than 40% of the West Bank (termed areas “A” and “B”), mostly the larger Palestinian cities and towns, and took positions around and between them. The Palestinian Police was to maintain order within the cities.
The Israeli government began bypass roads around the Palestinian areas in the West Bank, connecting the Israeli settlements to each other and Israel. The settlement municipal boundaries expanded. These activities sent the messages to the Arabs that the Israeli government would not be agreeing to the Accords, and in 2000 there still was not an agreement so the 2nd Infantada occurred. Arafat died and Abbas was appointed, never voted in.
Jerusalem Hotel Lobby
Arabic Coffee
Damascus Gate-1530, Adrian-Roman below current Damascus Gate oldest wall is 1800 BC. This area receives the most surveillance. As we walked down the street after entering through the gate, we looked back and raised our heads. There waved several Israeli flags on an apartment, actually several apartments. Although considered Palestinian area, there are Israeli settlers around the top of much of East Jerusalem.
In 1996, there was a 3,000-year celebration by the Jews-"1,400 BC King David conquered Jerusalem." Taken biblical and declared by government.
Israeli police looking down on everybody entering the Damascus Gate
Dome of the Rock
Tradition says that it was built by Solomon, Son of David. The Dome of the Rock is situated in the center of the Temple Mount, the site of the Temple of Solomon. Connection between Earth and Heaven. 10,000 years ago, it was a Judean temple. Rome rules but stayed out of temple. The Moslem structure was initially completed in 692 CE on the site of the Second Jewish Temple that was destroyed during the Roman Seighe of Jerusalem in 70 CD. The original dome collapsed in 1015 and was rebuilt in 1022. The gold-plated roof was added in 1960. Suleiman covered the exterior of the Dome of the Rock with tiles (16th Century). In 1874 Ottoman Sultan Abdulaziz made extensive renovations, removing and replacing the tiles on two of the octagonal parts of the building.
A few hours after the Israeli flag was hoisted over the Dome of the Rock in 1967 during the Six-Day War, Israelis lowered it on the orders of Moshe Dayan and invested the Muslim waqt (religious trust) with the authority to manage the Temple Mount / Haram al-Sharif, in order to "keep the peace."
An open door into the Dome of the Rock, but if not Muslem, rarely allowed in. Israeli police were at this gate. We were allowed to walk up to where they stood to take a picture.
Our Tour Guide showing a picture of the Plaza area
Western Wall - Women's area to pray. The Western Wall is a surviving remnant of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 CE.
From Hebrew University, look over much of Jerusalem
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