Australian tourist Ian Lloyd Neubauer visited the Gaza Strip in May and had a memorable experience walking in Bethlehem, a city in the Palestinian autonomous region of the West Bank, 10 km from Jerusalem. "I was one of the few tourists to come here after 7 months of fighting in the Gaza Strip," Ian said.
Considered the birthplace of Jesus and King David, Bethlehem is a major pilgrimage site for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Before Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, the city was considered a tourist hotspot or the “crown jewel” of the Palestinians’ $1 billion tourism industry.
“Whether you are interested in history, religion or culture, the city is certainly a fascinating place to visit,” local tour company Tourist Israel wrote on its website. However, when Ian contacted to book a tour to Bethlehem, a representative said “tours have been canceled” due to the fighting.
Unable to book a tour, Ian went to the tourist information center in Jaffa, Tel Aviv, to look for opportunities. There, he met an Israeli who had been taking tourists to Bethlehem before the war. The man directed Ian to Jerusalem and from there took a bus to Bethlehem.
Departing from Damascus Gate, the largest of the eight gates leading into Jerusalem’s Old City, the bus carrying Ian and the other passengers stopped in Bethlehem. An Israeli border policeman boarded the bus to check each passenger’s identification. The bus contained a Romanian couple and Ian, who were foreigners, while the rest were Palestinians.
After the inspection, the bus continued on its way. Ian described the route from Jerusalem to Bethlehem as a “wonder,” with its long, winding roads, tunnels, bridges, and the Judean Mountains. The scenery on both sides was equally impressive: rugged hills and barren villages.
After 40 minutes of driving, the car arrived in Bethlehem. Ian's first impression was that "everything was in disrepair," from the roads, to the shops, to the sidewalks. There was trash and weeds everywhere. Old cars were abandoned on the road.
Ian got out of the car and was walking when a taxi driver approached him. He asked for 20 shekels ($5) to take him to the Old City of Bethlehem, a UNESCO World Heritage site that sits atop a steep hill. When the tourist refused and walked away, the driver cursed and shouted, “I’ll have Hamas kidnap you.”
"My heart started pounding," Ian said, so scared that he "could feel my pulse in my hand." Ian had two options at that moment: either just keep it a threat or make the threat come true. If things went according to his second guess, there would be no point in getting back on the bus to Jerusalem. So Ian decided to go straight and not let the threat make him compromise with the driver's service.
The path to the top of the hill narrowed, leading to high white steps made of limestone that shone brightly in the sunlight. Ian kept walking until he found himself in the middle of a bustling market, where fruit vendors and shoemakers busied themselves with customers. The smell of baking flatbread wafted through the air. Church bells rang from the belfry.
Ian found himself the only Western visitor at the market, and so he attracted the attention of the locals. Vendors scowled and asked him not to take their photos, others were indifferent, and friendly children asked him where he was from.
The tourist turned into a cobblestone alley lined with empty handmade souvenir shops and the dispirited faces of their owners. “How are we going to survive?” one shopkeeper told Ian. Another said they hadn’t had a customer since October 7, 2023.
At the top of the hill is the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem's main attraction, built in the Roman style in 565. The structure is almost completely preserved with flower-filled courtyards.
The Tourist Israel website once wrote that the Nativity Grotto is the most sought-after spot in Bethlehem, with long lines of people waiting. No guide can guarantee the exact time they will be able to lead visitors into the grotto.
When Ian visited, there were only a small group of Arab tourists and a couple from Africa. International tourism to Israel has dropped by 80% since the war with Hamas. Most visitors are now Christians.
Ian returned to the market to buy a sandwich for 5 shekels (just over $1), a fifth of the price in Israel, and spoke to two Palestinian policemen. He mentioned the taxi driver's threats. The officers said it was a "personal matter" and assured him that Bethlehem was "safe."
Before returning to Jerusalem, Ian wanted to visit the tomb of Rachel, the prophetess and wife of Jacob, the third patriarch of the Israelites. The road to the tomb was wide and scorching hot because there were no trees. On both sides of the road were shops where men sat in groups smoking pipes. When Ian arrived, he could not enter because it was blocked by the West Bank Wall, a hundreds of kilometers long concrete barrier built by Tel Aviv.
Ian hailed a taxi to take him to the bus stop. The driver whined and complained about the war as he drove through the narrow streets of Bethlehem. As he followed the highway to Jerusalem, he stopped at a military checkpoint. Everyone had to show their identification and travel documents to Israel. Ian was relieved that the trip had ended without a hitch.
Ian said that if anyone sought his advice on traveling to Bethlehem, his answer would be "not recommended at the moment" because the war situation is still tense.
TB (according to VnExpress)Source
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