In 1967, Israel was invaded by Jordan from the east and Egypt from the west. The war ended six days later with Israel pushing Jordan all the way back across the Jordan River, seizing all of the land on the west bank of the Jordan River, and Egypt back across the Israel-Egypt international border, seizing the Gaza Strip.
The 2,200 square mile kidney-shaped area taken from Jordan is the disputed West Bank that is always in the news. The West Bank has numerous pockets of Palestinian-controlled areas that are important to Christians, like Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jerico.
My tour bus stopped in Bethlehem for some shopping. After being pressured to buy a $8,000 nativity scene carved from olive wood, I quickly left the gift shop and walked two blocks down the street to get a better look at the Separation Wall. The Israelis began construction of the wall in 2002; solid concrete, the wall at this point is 26′ high. After taking this picture, I realized that Israel, my political ally, was on the other side of the wall, I was in Palestine. Gulp.
Thought for the Day: We shall never be able to remove suspicion and fear as potential causes of war until communication is permitted to flow free and open across international boundaries. Harry S. Truman
