What is wrong with tourism? I had a little moral struggle in Jerusalem. Being blown away by the beauty of the ancient city that looks like it was carved right out of the mountain, the fortress wall, the history, the mystery, hey! even all the biblical references contributed to my state of awe, and then, the vendors, the food, the maze-like corridors... Next we got to the center of the city, and its holy sites. The temple, the wall, the chapels, the stations. Three mayor religions portioning one holy fenced mountain, and in consequence hoards of devoted ones who, sadly, just care about crossing out the next stop on their list or rub the next holy stone. Do they care about the current situation of the place? About the people of the place? Do they care at all about the place? Or is it just about being able to say that they where here and take enough pictures to prove it? I care, but honestly, that doesn't make me less of a tourist. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it, and got a glimpse of the contention that goes on in the quartered city.
Later that day, we met with a woman from ICAHD (israeli coalition against house demolitions) www.icahdusa.org, she took us to East Jerusalem through Palestinian neighborhood and inside the Maale Adumim settlement, and even if she hadn't said a word, that little ride would have been enough to have the word injustice roaming my brain and heart for a long while.
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