Tuesday The Dead Sea and Jericho

Our trip started by passing through the check point gate leaving Bethlehem heading toward Jerulsalem entering the Israeli only highway restricted to vehicles with Israeli license plates.  Palestinians are not allowed to use this gate.  Jerulsalem is only five miles away but it can take a Palestinian an hour on alternate roads.  The soldiers are often 19 or 20 years old who can close the check point at their discretion and can shoot if they feel threatened. 

The check point in the distance.

Our first stop was a visit to Friends Of The Earth Middle East an environmental NGO working with Jordon, Israel and Palestine to improve and protect the Jordon River Valley near the Dead Sea.  They have a joint mission of eco and peace working for a sustainable future.  See the separate blog post.

Our second stop was Hisham's Palace which dates from the 740s and included a thermal bath. The palace is currently a Palestinian archeological site.

Along the way

The Tree of Life

Artifacts from the restoration

Our next stop was the Jorden River

baptized in the Jorden

the far side is Jorden

Our next stop was the Dead Sea.  It's true that you can't sink but you don't want to get the water in your eyes.

Parents Circle

When we returned to the hotel, we listened to The stories of Rami Elhanan and George Sadeh from Friends Circle (George is also the School Director at Shephards' Hill School)

Rami's daughter would be 31.  She died from a suicide bombing when she was 14.  A year after her death, he met Yitzhak Frankental the founder of Parents' Circle.  The first time he met Palestinians as human beings was when he was 47, 16 years ago.  There are only 600 families in Friends Circle.  They give hundreds and hundreds of talks in Israeli and Palestinian high schools.

George was born in 1961.  Deputy Mayor of Bethlehem from 2005 to 2012.  During the second infatada he was going shopping around 6:30 pm in Bethlehem.  As he approached parked Israeli jeeps, 300 bullets were fired at his car - his car was mistaken for another.  His daughter ( 12 years old) was killed and he, his wife and second daughter were wounded.  

He was approached by Friends Circle and joined.  He an Rami became friends and have bee working together for reconciliation and peace.  Life is very short and they want a better life for their children with security, human rights and justice for everyone.   They hope that through their work, no more families will have to suffer.

George Sadeh and Rami Elhanan