Westbank Trip

B"H

Someone I met at a Shabbatot once recommended the trip to me. I should just take Egged bus no. 148 from the Central Bus Station in Jerusalem and go to Ariel. Not that the small town would be so interesting; let alone exciting. However, the trip would be an amazing. An incredible landscape and passing Shilo where once the Mishkan (Tabernacle) stood.

I must say that all this is very true and more people should do it. My only warning is that there is really nothing to do in the settlement town Ariel. Hardly any restaurant but a big MEGA Supermarket. At least bring or buy some food and sit in the park further down in Sheshet HaYamim Street.

In order to catch the bus back to Jerusalem, go back to the Mega where you find the bus stop right across. Don't wait in Sheshet HaYamim even if the sign at the bus stop tells you "Jerusalem". And don't listen to the Russian immigrants living in Ariel when you have a question. Ask the Israelis and then you get the right directions !!! The positive thing I can say about Ariel is that it has an unbelievable view over the Samarian mountains. Although it is surrounded by Arab villages.
Going from Ariel to Tel Aviv or Petach Tikvah is much easier than traveling to Jerusalem. And I think that this is exactly what most inhabitants do. Go to work in Tel Aviv and only return to Ariel in the evening. The town reminded me of a Kibbutz or a place to retire. If you are looking for a quiet clean place, Ariel may be good for you.

Before we got to Ariel, we had to undergo a 1,5 hour lasting bus ride. The ticket only costs 12.50 Shekels (approx. 2.5 Dollar). The Egged bus no. 148 is bullet - proofed making it hard to look outside. I sat right next to the driver and thus could look through the front window.

We left Jerusalem via French Hill in the north and to my surprise I saw all the new trains of the new tram standing near the road. I didn't know those French trains were already here.




Left: A Checkpoint

We passed Pisgat Ze'ev and then entered the "Kav HaTefer" by going through a checkpoint. "Machsom - Checkpoint" this may be a negative word for Palestinians but not for Israelis. Although Palestinians are complaining about Israeli checkpoints as soon as the come from the territories and enter Israel, the Machsomim make it saver for Israelis. How many terrorist have been caught this way ?

We entered different settlements (Yishuvim) on our way to Ariel. Our first stop was "Shaarei Binyamina", an industrial center outside the checkpoint, right behind the outskirt Pisgat Ze'ev. The next stop was in Psagot / Migron, then in Ofrah, Shilo, at Tapuach (Kfar Tapuach) Junction, in Eli and then we arrived in Ariel. The landscape is just unbelievable. Samarian mountains full of olive trees.

Many Arab villages or small towns but they all looked, more or less, new to me. Usually Arabs claim that they have been settling there for the past 500 years or so but even Mark Twain, while traveling through Israel more than a hundred years ago, didn't notice any Arab villages in Samaria. The Palestinians came much later and now claim the land for themselves. I could go to London, live there for five years and then claim it as mine. At least I can do so at Speaker's Corner.

The settlements are always surrounded by a wire fence and are well guarded. The main entrance has usually an iron gate with guards and machine guns. We entered Ofrah and at the bus stop I saw an interesting graffiti: "We trust in G - d (HaShem) and not in Obama !"

Living in one of the settlements is not for me although it has been suggested to me many times. But I am rather a city person and already after a few hours of being in a small place, I am freaking out. It is better anyway that you are married and have a family while living in a settlement. Otherwise you may be lonely; especially on Shabbat.

A second thing bothering me about living in a settlement would be the the fact of being fenced in. Passing a gate, being careful all the time and Shilo, for instance, is also, more or less, surrounded by Arab villages. This would bother me enormously because I don't won't all those enemies as my neighbours. This means that you always have to watch out. Especially while driving back home in the dark. Arabs just shoot right from a mountain into your car. This has happen so many times in the past and things still haven't changed.

I do admire those people living there and who are able to deal with the situation. But many of them I know say that, first of all, it is much cheaper living in a settlement, and secondly, the landscape and the friendly atmosphere inside the settlements is worth anything.

We need to show our that Jews settle everywhere and that this is OUR country ! - So the settler's ideology.

Further pictures of settlements:

http://shechem.org/eindex.html