To end our time in Jerusalem we were led on a tour of the green line and parts of the city that were Jordanian territory before 1967. Our guide took us to areas where we could see the separation wall, drove us through a security barrier, and to Mount of Olives overlooking the city. Building of the separation wall started in 2003 to protect Israel from the Arabs. A similar fence was first in Gaza and worked well there so the government decided to try it in the West Bank also. The wall was built because of the Second Intifada where Israelis were being killed daily. In Hebrew this wall is called “the security fence” but in Arabic it’s translated to “racist separation wall”. This wall is the source of much conflict when being discussed.
Our bus crossed the barrier into the West Bank for a minute without a problem, but could be stopped when leaving. Since we had an Israeli license plate, our bus was obviously Israeli and not Arab. If you have a Israeli license plate you can leave the West Bank with no problem, but if you don’t you will be stopped. Arabs coming and going from the West Bank need a card issued by the government to let them enter Israel.
Because of the recent kidnapping of the three Israeli boys in the West Bank we were not allowed to enter besides the few minutes our bus drove through the barrier and turned back around. This brings more importance to Israel about the need for security in some areas similar to this.
So far on our trip we have focused on the history of the places we could see. Although the Kotel, the holiest Jewish site is in Jerusalem, other nations share this wonderful city. The two holiest sites for Muslims outside Saudi Arabia are in Jerusalem, as is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, an important place for Christians. Sharing such important space inevitably leads to not only a territorial conflict but also religious conflict throughout Jerusalem.