MY PALESTINE VISIT – PART II
By Irfan Engineer

American Muslim, MO
es/articles/my_palestine_visit_part_ii/0015051
Nov 30 2007

After crossing the Check Post, we all got into a bus which had been
waiting for us. The driver Ali helped us all load our luggage into
the bus and we drove towards Jerusalem. All of us on the bus shouted
hurrah! as the bus rolled. There were probably no more obstacles.

However, about ½ a Kilometer away, there was another Israeli Check
Post and the bus had to stop. Ali dealt with the officer (probably he
reported at every check post that the passengers were international
tourists and we would be spared the thorough checking). The Officer at
the check post would check a few passports to satisfy himself / herself
and with American passports being forwarded first, they would let the
bus pass with cursory checking. Every short distance there were check
posts and we soon learnt to accept it as a given fact. The American
passports saved us the humiliation of thorough checks every time. It
was cool in Amman as it is on a height. However after crossing into
West Bank, it was a bit hot as we were in Jordan Valley. Our Journey
to Jerusalem meant climbing up the mountain and it would be cold again.

The roads in West Bank were surrounded by barren looking land on both
the sides. Being desert, very little land was cultivated. The road
on which our bus was rolling were constructed by US based companies
like Caterpillar on occupied land and they became "Israeli roads".

Palestinian vehicles were not allowed on the road in the apartheid
system practiced by Israeli state. We saw hectic construction of
roads by Israel on occupied Palestine territory to expand the road
network and broaden the roads. In the apartheid system that Israel
has developed, there are three types of license number plates
issued for vehicles. Vehicles with yellow licensed number plates
could move about on any road, including on the roads constructed on
occupied territories of West Bank. The vehicles with green coloured
numericals on white background license plates were not allowed on the
network of roads which connected the Jewish settlements with main
roads and highways. The offence of any violation of this rule did
not attract fines but summary trial by military courts (we will see
the functioning of the military courts a little later) and could mean
long prison sentences. The check posts ensured that no violation goes
unpunished. The third type of license plate was white letters on green
background, which meant that heavily taxed Palestinian commercial
viehicle. The whole road system is to ensure that apartheid rules
are meticulously followed and Arabs are kept off roads meant for
and connecting Jewish settlements. As we were climbing up towards
Jerusalem, we could see the Jordan River Valley on our left and tip
of Dead Sea. There wasn’t much water in the Jordan River.

In about two hours time, we were approaching Jerusalem. As we entered
the beautiful and historical city, we were struck by the beautiful
architecture of the city. The walls of the old city and the buildings
were constructed with light chocolate coloured stones which are
available in abundance in West Bank. Stones from Bethlehem and Biet
Sahoor are famous and carted thousands of miles for construction.

Jerusalem has witnessed rule of various empires and this was evident
from its monuments and even residential constructions. Romans,
Umayyads, Ottomans, all ruled in Jerusalem.

Before we reached our destination – Hotel Imperial, we saw five star
and seven star hotels, with all modern amenities, including the scarce
water, and owned by the Jewish companies. Being holyland for the three
communities – Muslims, Christians and Jews, the city attracts tourists
all year round from all over the world. While the Jewish companies reap
huge profits, the Palestinians are practically left out of the tourism
industry, except petty shops with items for tourists and a few hotels.

By 3.00 p.m., we reached Hotel Imperial inside the walled city. The
road inside the walled city too was paved with stones. The area of
walled city we were in was mostly inhabited by Armenian Christians.

There was Armenian Museum and structures with Armenian Architecture.

As we climbed the staircases of Hotel Imperial, owned by a Palestinian,
we saw the walls decorated by Palestinian artifacts, chandeliers,
bells, beautifully woven Palestinian women’s dresses pinned on the
walls. It was more of a museum than a hotel depicting the Palestinian
life and culture and history of struggle to achieve liberation. It
was a sort of political statement – defiance of apartheid and Israeli
state. After checking in our room, I was tempted to talk to the owner
of the Hotel and he was willing. Greeted me with "mar habba" as well
as "namaste", instantly recognizing me as "Hindi" (as Indians are
referred in this part of the world). He told us that to run a hotel for
a Palestinian in occupied territory was a great struggle and not easy
at all. Right from ensuring water supply to dealing with the Jewish
Municipal Corporation for a Palestinian required nothing less than
political will and commitment matching that of full time political
revolutionaries. Surrendering and selling the hotel to waiting Jews
was a much easy option. The authorities did everything to make it
impossible for him to run his hotel business so that he would sell
his hotel to Jews and allow Jews toe hold within walled city in East
Jerusalem. He was holding out and Insha Allah would never surrender
his Hotel however adverse the situation might be. The Hotel owner
contributed to the Palestinian Liberation struggle by running the
hotel. He however lamented the betrayal of some of the Palestinian
leaders to the cause. We had a good late afternoon lunch and rested
for a while before we were ready for the evening programme. I also
meandered into the small by lanes around the hotel where Palestinian
shop owners were selling various items to tourists. Seeing us four
Indians, the shop owners would call us "Hindi? Namaste" trying to
befriend us to vend their goods. We bought a few.

… to be contd.

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