I could potentially write a novella about the conflict between Israel and Palestine and my opinion about it. What am I saying? I might as well make that a full-fledged novel. I’m not going to blog about this though. I think it’s important for everyone to make their own minds up about the situation in the world and the best way to do that is to experience multiple sides of it. Suffice it to say, therefore, that the West Bank makes for a perfect day trip from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. I opted for the “introductory tour” of the region but if I would ever go back, there are other places I would love to explore. You can read more about them in the lower section of this post.

Abraham Tours

I booked my tour with Abraham Tours. A lot of the bloggers I follow have stayed at Abraham hostel in Tel Aviv, Jessica from Corners of the World has even worked with them. That’s how I came to know this company. I didn’t stay with them, but I did decide to book my tours through them instead. I booked the “Best of the West Bank Tour from Tel Aviv”. The tour guide was an enthusiastic Palestinian resident who was excited to show and tell us more about this (sometimes misunderstood) region.

Ramallah

I visited Israel during a national holiday. That’s why our guide from Palestine was allowed to pick us up in Israel. The first stop of the tour is the city of Ramallah. This city is known as the modern and cultural capital of the West Bank.

We just walked the streets here and enjoyed an ice cream. This stop is all about getting a feel of the “real life” of the West Bank. It’s hectic, it’s noisy, it has fake American chains (like Stars and Bucks), but it has the kind of Middle Eastern vibe I love. All other stops are touristic highlights, so I liked starting the tour in a real city. What struck me the most were the amount of people who were trying to strick up a conversation.  I hear this also happens in Iran a lot. The people of the West Bank really like to know what your impression of the city and the region is.

One person even approached our tour guide, to ask him to tell us something specific about the city that excited him. Our tour guide was told what he should tell about the city, and he happily agreed. Needless to say, I did really enjoy the short walk through Ramallah.

The last stop in the city is the tomb of Arafat on a (I believe) temporary location. Arafat’s thought and wish was to be buried in Jerusalem, so the tomb itself doesn’t really give you Che Guevara or Tito vibes.

Jericho

The next stop is Jericho, the oldest city in the world. This was probably my least favourite stop as there’s not much to see apart from some ruins and a video to tell you all about the construction of this city.

You can see the Mount of Temptation in the background which is the place where Jesus was tempted by the Devil according to the story. In the distance you can see a monastery which can be reached by furnicular. I can’t tell you anything about it, because we didn’t get a chance to visit it.

Qasr el-Yahud baptism site

It’s then time for Qasr-el-Yahud, the famous site of the baptism of Jesus located on the bank of the Jordan River. This is a strange sight, because you can wave at people visiting the bank of the river from the Jordanian side. There, there are churches and other items worth visiting. These are not present in the West Bank.

It’s still a nice experience to see people dunking their heads and hands in the river to feel what Jesus must have felt back in the day.

Bethlehem

The last stop of the day is the city of Jesus’ birth. Even though our stay in Bethlehem was short, I do think it’s one of my favourite cities in the West Bank.

Not only because of the Church of Nativity, which is quite the sight in itself. During this trip it became even more apparent to me how lucky I am to be making the trips I am. I am not religious, but it moves me to see how devout people experience visiting the sites mentioned in the Bible. My heart breaks for the ones who would like to visit these places, but can’t. I’ve never felt that as much as here in the Church of Nativity and in Jerusalem.

Another incredibly special element of the tour is the walk alongside the separation barrier. In terms of art work it’s comparable to the experience in Berlin. However, unfortunately this wall is still very much up and actively keeping people out and in. Banksy has made some powerful statements in his art work on the wall and in the adjacent hotel which are both worth a visit. One day, I wouldn’t mind staying in the hotel for a night.

What Did I Miss?

I only visited the West Bank for a day so I obvioulsy missed a lot. Most notably, the city of Hebron. There is a dual-narrative Hebron Tour which is a great way to access one of the most special and most complicated cities in the world. You are guided around the city by two tour guides; a Jewish settler and a Palestinian resident, who will both tell you their story. This will be highest on my list for a future visit (although I hope the tour and conflict doesn’t exist when I visit again).

Another tour I would like to do is a tour of Nablus and Jenin, mainly because the city of Nablus is often mentioned in the Netflix series “Fauda”. Also because I’m curious to learn more about the history of those two cities.

Conclusion

I have to admit I was a bit hesitant to visit the West Bank. I have to admit that my apprehension was unfounded. The things we hear in the media are not always the complete truth, which is something I know. Still, I almost cancelled this trip. My advice to you? Just go, experience the West Bank and try to understand a bit about the conflict and about the lives of people there. It’s never good to have a one-sided view of the world. Try to take in as many sides as you possibly can. I hope you enjoy your trip to the West Bank as much as I did; I’m itching to go back.

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