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Please Review Palestine Itinerary
We are taking a 18 day tour in Israel next February. and plan to add our own private pre-trip to the Palestine. We have been conversing with Murad Tours and they have provided the following itinerary. I think it looks good, but would appreciate any input you may have. Thank you.
4-DAY PALESTINE TOUR 2 people Saturday 22nd February -- BETHLEHEM TOUR Pick up from Tel Aviv Visit Mar Saba - for a view of the Monastery & Judean Desert Visit Dheishah Refugee Camp Centre - meet with locals Have an up-close look at the Separation Wall / Graffiti A Brief visit to the Walled Off Hotel Museum & Gallery Nativity Church / Manger Square Walk through the Old City & Market Overnight in Bethlehem - Dar Sitta Aziza B&B or - Family Homestay Sunday 23rd February -- NABLUS TOUR Pick up from Bethlehem • Jacobs Well • Balata Refugee Camp - see the crowded conditions and hear some stories about life there- and visit a local Women's Centre Walk through the Old City, see the Olive Oil Soap Factory and Spice Shop • Samaritan Village on Mount Gerizim Return to Bethlehem for overnight Monday 24th February - HEBRON & BATTIR VILLAGE TOUR Pick up from Bethlehem Tour Hebron - visit Abraham's Tomb and the Old City where Israeli settlers live in close proximity to the local Palestinians. You'll visit a local family and a glass blowing workshop that recycles glass from the city, crafting beautiful objects. Tour Battir: Land of Olives and Vines Visit The ancient West Bank village of Battir a World Heritage Site. This charming and fertile village is not only one of the most beautiful places in the West Bank, it is also one of the most spirited Return to Bethlehem for overnight Tuesday 25th February - RAMALLAH, JERICHO & BEDOUIN TOUR Pick up from Bethlehem Drive the Alternative route of the Palestinians via Wadi Nar to Ramallah - Stop at a Bedouin Camp to meet with locals and see the life under threat Tour Ramallah - a brief visit to Arafat's Tomb & Museum Walk through the City Centre and visit the Palestinian Heritage Centre Travel to Jericho with view of one of the Largest Settlements in the West Bank - View of Mt. of Temptation - Tel Es Sultan (Ancient Jericho) Return to Bethlehem for overnight Wednesday 26th February -- EIN KAREM / DEPARTURE Pick up from Bethlehem (with luggage) You have the option of a half day tour of Jerusalem (incl. Ein Karem) or Our driver (English speaking) will take you to visit Ein Karem before transfer to Haifa Drop off in Haifa (which is where our Israel tour starts) |
Having researched this company they obviously have an agenda. Some of their descriptions as you present them are obvious as to their bent, such as "see the crowded conditions" . (I could write the same if I were your your guide in NYC!) And I could show you poverty almost anywhere. I could also show you wealthy individuals.in the Palestinian Territories. But only if I wanted you to see that side. I've read reviews that say it's very political and you won't get much religious view other than theirs. So hopefully you're not going for Christian sites and their religious history. (I'm not a Christian so I have no dog in this race.)
But that's your choice. I would suggest that if you want expert input on the itinerary given that you go to the Israel Forum on Trip Advisor and ask the same questions as you have here. People writing on Fodors who know or have traveled in this area seem to be strangely rare. Good luck!!! |
Originally Posted by Dianedancer
(Post 16943178)
Having researched this company they obviously have an agenda. Some of their descriptions as you present them are obvious as to their bent, such as "see the crowded conditions" . (I could write the same if I were your your guide in NYC!) And I could show you poverty almost anywhere. I could also show you wealthy individuals.in the Palestinian Territories. But only if I wanted you to see that side. I've read reviews that say it's very political and you won't get much religious view other than theirs. So hopefully you're not going for Christian sites and their religious history. (I'm not a Christian so I have no dog in this race.)
But that's your choice. I would suggest that if you want expert input on the itinerary given that you go to the Israel Forum on Trip Advisor and ask the same questions as you have here. People writing on Fodors who know or have traveled in this area seem to be strangely rare. Good luck!!! I've been around the West Bank quite a bit on my own, including to all the major places in the OP's itinerary. It's very easy to tell from the itinerary that the tour company has an political agenda. I went to all these places myself and made conversations with regular Palestinians at the souqs (markets), mosques, on the shared taxi rides, etc. The problem with these political tours is that the people they take you to meet are the exact opposite of regular people. It's an entirely staged experience; the "people" you meet are essentially actors they've hand-picked and screened to give you a particular perspective. If OP wants to get a real perspective on what life is like in the West Bank and see the conflict from the perspective of the Arabs, I would strongly urge OP to eschew any sort of tours, especially politically driven ones. OP, if you are a "tour" person, which it sounds like you are if you're taking an Israel tour as well, perhaps you should consider other tour companies that are less politically driven. I don't have any recommendations, but TripAdvisor's Israel forum is much more active than this one. |
I had not thought of this tour in the manner that Dianedancer and LAX Esq stated and find your comments very interesting. We do like to take tours in certain locations (certainly not Europe, etc) - our goal is to meet a wide variety of people and try to gain an understanding of their lives and cultures. We thought of this trip as a balance to what we will hear in the Israel portion. The reviews on Tripadvisor for Murad Tours were very good, which is why we initiated conversation with them.
I will take your advice and post this same question on the Tripadvisor page. Thank you. |
Palestine is in my "wish list" too. Does anyone know is it safe over there? I am looking for advices and recommendations too
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Also as part of the itinerary description "See Bedouins and their life under threat". A red flag to me. There are many Bedouins living in Israel proper and they're lives are not under threat.
The West Bank (so named by Jordan but was previous to that known as Samaria and Judea) is divided I to three parts, Area A. Totally under Arab control, Arab B under Arab and Israel control and Area C, under Israel control. Area A has all the important cities such as Bethlehem, Ramallah, Hebron, Jerico. If you take a taxi into the Palestinian Territories, the driver must be an Arab. I just met with a Trip Advisor group for a get together in Jerusalem 2 weeks ago. One of our group was a Muslim woman from England. She told a story of how she took a driver into some West Bank town and when she got out of the taxi people their looked at her and started to talk in Arabic, which she doesn't understand. However, she said she recognized the word they used "Yehuden" (Jew) and saw they had rocks in their hands. She was scared to death. Her Arab driver who knew she was Muslim, didn't come to her defense. She was pissed. There must be tours that are more neutral in their bent. Remember, the area was Jewish way before it was Muslim. I think Abraham Tours does a dual perspective tour from Jerusem. |
Originally Posted by Dianedancer
(Post 16944156)
Also as part of the itinerary description "See Bedouins and their life under threat". A red flag to me. There are many Bedouins living in Israel proper and they're lives are not under threat.
There must be tours that are more neutral in their bent. Remember, the area was Jewish way before it was Muslim. I think Abraham Tours does a dual perspective tour from Jerusem. I've read about the Abraham Tours "dual narrative" tour, and while the company seems to have a great general reputation, I think the "dual narrative" concept is a bad one They're not doing their customers any service by perpetuating the misleadingly oversimplified and childish notion that there are "two narratives" (i.e., "here's what all the Jews believe, and now here's what all the Arabs believe"). |
As to whether or not "Palestine", i.e., the Palestinian territories are safe. I believe so, just as long as you're not Israeli. You need to have an Arab taxi driver take you to Area A, which is where I'm guessing you'd want to go. Most tourists want to go to Bethlehem, Jericho (not close to one another), Hebron. These are in Area A. The major historical cities and Biblical ones are under the complete control of the PA authority. You can't take an Israeli rental car into this area. I believe there are buses from Jerusalem that go to Bethlehem. If you take a taxi, don't allow the taxi driver to take you to stores, where you will probably get ripped-off.
I advised the poster above to go to the Trip Advisor Israel talk forum. They are very knowledgeable. Much more than I am. I am advising you of the same. |
This is an interesting thread and first I agree with DD and others that the tour mentioned has all the earmarks of a not so thinly veiled propaganda tour. I find this thread interesting because of my own experiences and perspective. My first visit to the area was shortly after the ‘73 war to work on an extended project. I have since been back to Israel several times as a tourist and to visit family, primarily DW’s. During my my extended time there in the ‘70s I and others were able to travel freely through the West Bank (now often referred to as the West Ridge.) Living mostly in Jerusalem we would often shop in the Bethlehem market and also became friendly with several shopkeepers of the type selling souvenirs and such, they were a comparatively prosperous group. To a person they were apprehensive of the idea of Bethlehem being put under PA (or whatever they were called then - I forget) rule. We would also often go to Jericho because it was a nice place to visit and to partake of Sachleb, a delicious hot drink. Jericho had the best. My project took me to refugee camps where the theme there was how much better things were under Israel than they were under Jorden, particularly in terms of health care, sanitation and services such as electricity. I doubt the tour would give you that point of view. I also had several opportunities to visit Bedouin encampments as part of an epidemiology study where I was always met with courtesy. Although I was able to travel freely in Hebron, Ramallah and Gaza, I felt less comfortable there but never felt in danger. Hebron then and now could be a tricky place to travel because of its past and present history and dynamics between its Muslim and Jewish population and ongoing conflict over the Tomb of Abraham and Sarah. Gaza, although not on your tour is a no go. |
basing - Thanks for sharing your story. It's very interesting.
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