Page 28-THE NEWS-April 1994 Diary and Hishlishts of a Tourist in (Includes IJMA Conference “Stepping Into Peace” (Feb. 25-Mar. 4)

Jerusalem: The Kotel (showing both men’s and women’s side). photo/RiU Mond

By Rita Mond

Feb. 25 “Stepping into Peace” - Fifth International Conference of the Jewish Media - Hyatt Jerusalem. Shabbat Dinner. D’var Torah by Rabbi Lee Levine, president Seminary of Judaic Studies.

Feb. 26 “Two Years Around the World” - Informal discussion groups. Cocktail Party followed Settlers being interviewed at Moshav Naama. That’s “me” taking notes at Kibbutz Kfar Haruv. by the OPENING EVENT. photo/Courtesy Jane Sprague, “RI Jewish Voice” Address: President of Israel Ezer Weizman. are 32 communities with close an excellent dinner at the kosher Entertainment: A Palestinian to 14,000 Jews in the Golan. Indian restaurant at the hotel. singer; she was formerly a soldier They produce $200 million in in the Israeli army. agriculture and industry. If the Mar. I people must leave, the buildings We again were on the way to Feb. 27 will be destroyed—“this is not the Golan Heights where we got Several different discussion peace...this is destruction,” said a magnificent view of Mount groups on the Peace Process. Shmulach Mendel, a member of Hermon which was covered with Lunch: Speaker on Tourism. » < Kibbutz Mt. Kehal. snow and is located on the Afternoon: Press Conference We then went on to Tiberias Syrian side. We then proceeded with Binyamin Netanyahu; I < - ■ -» r-S fctf /.— itfc ii «>’ 11 «; where we spent two nights at the to the Druze village Buqata “Peace by Piece—The Strategic Moriah-Plaza. We arrived too where we were briefed by the Variables” with Dr. Yossi Beilin late to take advantage of the Farhar brothers; Jado, secretary and Zalman Shoval. natural steam baths that Tibe­ general. Council of Workers, Evening: Press Conference rias is noted for . . . we did have Druze Villages, and Achmed, with Prime Minister . A family was introduced who had just arrived from Sarajevo. They were reunited (through UJ A and the JDC) with their son Amphitheatre at Beit Shean. who had been in Israel studying at one of the youth villages. It was a very emotional presentation.

Feb. 28 Morning: Press Conference with PLO representative, Faisal Husseini. Afterwards we left on a bul­ Syrian bunkers at Golan Heights (Kibbutz Kfar Haruv). letproof bus to Jericho, escorted by the Army — we had Army in front of us. Army in back of us and an armed soldier on the bus. Just outside of Jericho we stopped for a “ briefing” at Moshav Naama where we met with the settlers. Just 20 years ago the area was desert . . . now the Moshav’s main activity is agriculture, growing beautiful flowers that are sold for export, dates, figs, vegetables and grapes, the #1 crop. It is the Beit Shean with movie crew. youngest Moshav in the Jordan Druze Village (Buquata); snow-capped Mt. Hermon in background. valley with 28 families with 68 the Israeli government for neg­ BCE on the banks of a small children. They are now deeply otiating the ceding of the land river Nahal Harod. The archeo­ to the Palestinians. concerned about security; up to logical remains, the majority of We then proceeded on to Beit now, they had good relations which are from the Roman and Shean, which is one of the largest with the Palestinians; to the Byzantine periods, reveal the archaeological digs in Israel. north of them is the small village magnificence of the ancient (Uja - “ooja”) of Palestinians, What they have discovered there metropolis—synagogue, amphi­ is absolutely amazing. The am­ which used to be Bedouin, and theater, baths, “whore” house. It phitheater, itself, is something to to the south is the town of was strategically situated at the behold. While we were there a Jericho. The settlers are Israelis crossroads of major highways group of 700 people from Hol­ with the Zionist approach. The that stretched between the Med­ land arrived. They were a choral Moshav serves as a “bumper” of iterranean, Damascus and the group who had come there to Palestinians getting through to north, and between Jerusalem appear in a film in the amphi­ and the Galilee. and Jerusalem. They theater. want to stay under an Israeli flag We then proceeded on to and will probably leave if it goes There are 20 layers of civili­ Kibbutz Kfar Haruv at the Wine tasting at Golan Wineries plM>tM/Rita Moa4 under Palestinian rule. All their zation at Beit Shean . . . it was Golan Heights where we saw the questions and anger are towards founded in the 5th millennium former Syrian bunkers. There Sec ISRAEL next page