Alex
In Jerusalem I really regretted not being that well versed in the Bible because it seems like every other alleyway in the old town is of great religious historical significance. Surrounded by ancient city walls, it is home to Jewish, Christian, Muslim (and other) quarters. Each of them are vibrant and full of the hustle and bustle of daily life. On my first day there I got lost in the maze of alleys, but it was great fun exploring them, even though we also have our fair share of old towns here in Europe.
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Hebron is a special town in Israel in many ways. With the tombs of the patriarchy (including Abraham and Sarah) located there, the town is holy and of great significance in both Judaism and Islam. The town lies in the West Bank and the majority of its inhabitants are Palestinians. However many hundreds of Jewish settlers also live in the city. This means that the city is divided into several zones: Zone “H1” is under Palestinian administration and inhabited by Palestinians, and “H2” is under Israeli control and inhabited by both Palestinian and Jewish settlers.
Bethlehem is of course well-known as birthplace of Jesus and thus draws a large number of pilgrims. The town is situated in the West Bank, a few kilometres from Jerusalem on the other side of the barrier. The barrier passes immediately along the town border of Bethlehem, is eight metres high and reminds of the former border of East Germany.
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