Israelis and Palestinians Today A Travel Journal Companion to the Public Television Special 2 THE HOLY LAND Israelis and Palestinians Today 3 he land Israelis and Palestinians Saturday, and Sunday are each holy occupy is, for a third of humanity, days for some part of the population. T literally holy land. For Christians, this is Th roughout the centuries, this where Jesus was crucifi ed and rose from region endured waves of conquerors— the dead. For Muslims, this is from from pagan Roman legions to Christian where Muhammad journeyed to Heaven. Crusaders to Muslim Ottomans. In And for Jews, it’s where the Temple of a.d. 70, the Romans destroyed the Solomon stood. Th e epic stories of the main Jewish temple in Jerusalem, laid three great monotheistic religions on siege to a valiant last stand of Jewish this planet have played out on this tiny rebels at the mountaintop fortress of piece of real estate, which has been cov- Masada (which ended in mass suicide), eted and fought over for centuries. and exported Jews as slaves, beginning what’s known as the Diaspora. Th e How Did We Get Here? Jews dispersed throughout the world, mostly settling in Europe, where they Troubled regions like the Middle East suff ered centuries of oppression culmi- Hi, I’m Rick Steves. often struggle with a “Who was here nating in the Holocaust. fi rst?” debate. And in the Holy Land, During those centuries, the Arabs that question has no easy answer. Th e (and a small minority of Jews) contin- In 2013 I traveled to Israel and Palestine. I wanted to produce television shows Arabs and Jews who call this region ued living in this land as it was batted that could help my American viewers better understand this troubled land. home share a family tree that goes back between various outside powers. Until nearly 4,000 years. Th at’s when, accord- the 20th century, the entire area was My agenda was simply to be balanced and honest. Not with the cold detachment ing to tradition, the prophet Abra- called “Palestine,” as it had been in of a news reporter, but with the natural empathy that comes from being a travel ham—called the patriarch—had two Roman times. writer. I wanted to take on a “dual narrative” approach: giving voice to reason- sons: From Isaac came the Israelites, Meanwhile, beginning in the late while Ismael spawned the Arabs. Th at 19th century, “Zionism”—a movement able and rational people from both sides of the thorny issues. means that today’s Jews and Arabs are inspired by visionaries such as Th e- cousins: Th ey share similar DNA, odor Herzl in the Austro-Hungarian For me, exploring the Holy Land wasn’t just educational—it was actually fun, speak closely related languages, and have Empire—spurred Jews worldwide because I fl ew there knowing so little, and I fi nd that being steep on the learn- a genuine historical claim to this land. to dream of creating a modern state ing curve in my travels is a joy. Old dogs can learn new tricks when traveling to Th is ancient ethnic mix is compli- in their ancestral homeland. Dur- complicated places with an appetite to learn. And I’ve found that the best way to cated by religions. Israelites were Jewish. ing World War I, when Palestine was Christians worship Jesus, a Jew who ruled by British mandate, the Balfour do that is to get out of my comfort zone and simply talk to people. brought his own message. And today, Declaration set the stage to make this most Arabs here are Muslim—a religion a reality, and Jews began to return to My new TV shows on Israel and Palestine, the new chapter in the upcoming that arrived much later, in the seventh Palestine to claim the land. After the second edition of my Travel as a Political Act book—and this little booklet— century, with their prophet, Muham- Holocaust, in 1948, the modern state are the result of my Holy Land trip. mad. Here in the Holy Land—where of Israel was offi cially formed. Th at Muslims, Jews, and Christians celebrate trickle of immigration became a fl ood, Come along with me. We have a lot to learn. their Sabbath on diff erent days—Friday, as Jews from Europe, Arab lands of the 4 THE HOLY LAND Israelis and Palestinians Today 5 Middle East, and beyond came here to with terrorist attacks, and Israelis retali- ians—many internally displaced Fabled Jerusalem: create Israel. ated by turning Palestinian territories persons who were not pushed over the Steeped in History, As Jews returned to build their into a virtual police state. Palestinians borders of Israel in 1948, but are not nation, hundreds of thousands of Pales- launched their First Intifada, an armed allowed to return to their homes. The Politics, and Religion tinians were displaced. And to this day, rebellion that employed violent riots government calls them “Arab Israelis,” Before Columbus and the illustrious both peoples struggle to find an equita- and suicide bombings (1987-1991). In but they generally call themselves “Pal- class of 1500, many maps showed Jeru- ble and peaceful way to share what they 1993, the Oslo Accords (negotiated by estinian citizens of Israel.” Most are each consider their rightful homeland. Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat) Muslim, while Christians make up a salem as the center of the world. Jerusa- The dividing of the Holy Land attempted to create peace by recogniz- tiny minority. Palestinians living in lem—holy, treasured, and long fought hasn’t been easy. At first, the United ing the Palestinian Territories. The Israel are, by law, full citizens with over among the three great monotheis- Nations established a border known as treaty was designed as a transitional nearly the same rights as Jewish Israelis. tic religions—has been destroyed and the Green Line. Then, in 1967’s Six- agreement, until it could be phased out But many feel that they’re treated as sec- rebuilt 14 times. Its fabled walls are so Day War, Israel launched a surprise (in five years) to make way for a more ond-class citizens; they compare their strong that its defeats often came by permanent solution. But extremists situation to the plight of Civil Rights- starve-’em-out sieges. both in Israel and in Palestine worked era African Americans in the USA. hard to undermine the peace. From In the Holy Land, terminology is 2000 to 2005, the Second Intifada charged with symbolic meaning and brought a rash of bloody terrorist controversy. As a travel writer, I struggle attacks in Israel, killing more than a with simply what to call the land of the thousand Israelis—more than three- Palestinians. Many conservative Jews quarters of them civilians. Israel retali- and Evangelical Christians, believing ated, and Palestinians suffered three this is the land God promised to the The mighty walls and gates of Old Jerusa- times the casualties as Israel. During Jews, use the biblical name “Judea and lem define the Old City, which is divided the Second Intifada, Israel began to Samaria.” The non-loaded “West Bank” into four quarters: Jewish, Armenian, Christian, and Muslim. build a controversial barrier around the or “Occupied Territories” would be the West Bank in the name of security cautious choices. But this area was his- from terrorism. From about 2005 torically called “Palestine,” and in 2012, Modern Jerusalem is a sprawling through my visit in 2013, terrorist the UN General Assembly voted to city with about 800,000 people. Explor- attacks from the West Bank declined grant Palestine (with that name) “non- ing its shopping boulevards and malls, dramatically, and my impression was member observer state” status. I’ve you’ll feel right at home. But its historic offensive to take over land held by Jor- that most West Bank Palestinians had decided to follow the example of the core, the Old City—home to around dan, Syria, and Egypt, substantially decided to pursue a nonviolent international community. For the title of 35,000—feels lost in time. Its venerable increasing its territory. Palestinians approach to resolving the conflict. my TV show, I went with a proud and two-mile-long Ottoman wall corrals a managed to hold two enclaves within In the late 2000s, the Jewish popu- unapologetic “Palestine: Yesterday and tangle of vibrant sights. It’s a bustling Israel: the Gaza Strip (a tiny yet densely lation of Israel (around 6 million) sur- Today.” I realize—and accept—the fact maze of winding cobblestone paths and populated coastal area adjoining Egypt) passed the Jewish population in the that even using the name “Palestine” streets, each stone carrying within it the and the West Bank (between Jerusalem United States for the first time. Four will alienate many people. Sadly, these shadows and stories of prophets, lead- and the Jordan River). out of every five Israelis are Jewish, but are the people who, I believe, would ers, and infamous visitors of the past. Palestinians—chafing at the loss most are non-practicing. About 20 per- benefit the most from actually traveling Each alley, each doorway, each church, of their land and freedom—lashed out cent of Israel’s population are Palestin- to both sides of the Holy Land. each mosque, each store, and each ven- Holy Land Almanac Population north), and plunges to the lowest point yahu) and a Flags no earth: the Dead Sea, at a quarter- president, The total population of the Holy Land is Israel’s fl ag is a blue, six-pointed mile below sea level.