West Bank: The Wall & the Saints

"The Wall." Above is the controversial concrete barrier now built around the West Bank (defined as Palestinian-occupied areas situated west of the Jordan River).  Israelis built the wall for security reasons -- to protect against suicide bombers & other acts of terrorism during the Second Intifada (2000-06).  As a result, the country has enjoyed its greatest season of peace -- and BYU students were able to return to Israel and the JC in 2007. 

In some cities,  the wall can go up to 40' high. Outside of the larger cities, it is mainly a tall fence with razor wire.  On 10/19/11 we visited a very tall part of the wall in East Jerusalem on a field trip with students. 

Much of the grafitti there was in English, to benefit American media.

Palestinians & many Israelis believe The Wall should be temporary.  It has been highly disruptive, with adverse economic & cultural consequences.  Families & friends have been separated.  To some, it has created a new de facto political border without due process.  The Israeli Supreme Court has upheld the right to construct the wall but has also required some relocations.

During the 10/19/11 field trip, prominent atty. Danny Seidemann (not a govt'l official) said the wall is now radicalizing the 300K Palestinians living in East Jerusalem on the Israeli side of the wall.  During the Second Intifada (a "Palestinian uprising"), very few of the 11K Arabs arrested came from East Jerusalem. (After 1967, it was annexed to Jerusalem -- so it has not been walled off.)  Economic benefits from living in Israel outweighed all  personal disruptions.  But over time, the barrier has increased that disruption and Palestinian anger.

He said the Wall is also polarizing Jewish ultra-Orthodox (like "settlers" in mainly  Palestinian areas), who want Jerusalem to be exclusively theirs.  As cross-pressures have grown, Christians in East Jerusalem (including Mormons) have dwindled to only 1%.  As the Christian popul. goes down, the threat to Jews goes up.  We are like "the canary in the coal mine."   He said two states side-by-side, living in peace, would be the best solution.    Finally, he took us to a lookout point near the JC.  From there Jericho, the Dead Sea & Jordan are visible in the distance.

In the foreground (rt.) is Ma'ale Adumin, a very large long-standing Jewish settlement.  Next to it is an even larger open space proposed for more settlement ("E-1").  If that happens, it will further isolate Bethany, Bethlehem, Jericho & other West Bank areas near Jerusalem from Ramallah & the northern West Bank.  That is why such expansion would serioiusly threaten the very tenuous 2-state solution.

This is how our lookout point near the JC appears from Highway 1 below.

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                                                     BETHANY

On Tues. 9/9/10, a JC-approved driver took us to this former East Jerusalem suburb beyond the Wall.  Bethany has grown large since the days of Jesus' quaint village.  "Beit - an - i" means "House of the Poor," so it has never been very prosperous.  Today it is named Al Aizariah (Arabic, meaning "For Lazarus"). 

This tunnel took us directly from Mt. Scopus to the check point into the West Bank. If one enters it by mistake, there is no turning back.

Here is the entrance & exit of this tunnel from the other side of Mt. Scopus.

In Bethany, the barrier wall dramatically bisected the city.

This view to the left shows the wall from its west side, not far from our BYU Jerusalem Center.



The hill west of Bethany (below rt.) is the same Mt. of Olives -- with its distinctive Russian Orthodox tower atop -- next to our JC (on the left). Some persons who drove or walked 1 or 2 miles to work from Bethany must now endure a full-scale, lengthy border crossing to reach Jerusalem.

This is a Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem, not far from the JC and 7 Arches Hotel.   Its proximity to Silwan (a large Arab town on the Mt. of Olives overlooking the Temple Mt. & Old City) has caused some prior unrest.

Historic sites.  In Bethany, we supported several charities serving the needy. (See Oct. '10 post, "West Bank Humanitarians.")  We have also visited  key sites -- like this 1954 Catholic Church of St. Lazarus.  It is the 4th one built on this same site, starting in 400 AD.  We returned in Nov. '10 to visit the head of a charity whose family has lived in Bethany & managed the Lazarus tomb for over 150 years -- and again in Dec. '10 on a student field trip.  [See Dec. '10 post, "Last Days of Jesus"]

The church had some unique and lovely dome-covered wall mosaics on various Lazarus themes.

Pope Paul VI in 1964 may have been the only Pope ever to visit Bethany.  His figure and commemorative plaque were mounted outside.

We also visited a Greek Orthodox Church.  Outside were some 4th century Byzantine floor mosaics from two earlier churches.

Inside were more vivid and ancient floor mosaics under protective grillwork.  [Note the Greek Orthodox symbol on the wall outside.]

The earliest building was a 12th century Crusaders church near this keystone arch (created by first filling the space below with dirt, then removing it).

 

Under the church was an ancient stone mill and screw press for making olive oil--similar to those at the JC.  A donkey would turn the huge stone to crush the olives. Two men would turn the long cedar screw by twisting the cross above.

The oil was extracted, treated and stored in this underground tunnel (left).  A wall niche outside was for tying the donkey (an early "hitching rack").

Next to this church, and even deeper underground, is the traditional tomb of Lazarus. (The original tomb doorway is on the right, below.)  There, some people believe Jesus raised Lazarus after he had been dead for three days (John 11).   Our host's family has managed this site for over 100 years!

More stairs led down to the ancient tomb beneath the mourning chamber.

We were almost as happy as Lazarus to "come forth" from below.

Nearby are remains of the home of Simon the Leper -- a wealthy man who lived on the outskirts.  He hosted Mary, Martha, Lazarus & Jesus just before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  Italy is funding this excavation.

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BETHLEHEM. On 9/12/10 we crossed the Wall for Church services with members there. We parked outside the large entry barriers, then walked thru the guarded checkpoint. This is not the easy passage to Bethlehem that we enjoyed on our prior trips there in 1981 and 1999.

Church meetings were held on the 3rd floor of this tall bldg., just a few blocks from the check point.

Our host was the Marcous family, living as Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem for many years.  Odeh became LDS in England in 2000.

Marilyn was enamored of their youngest child -- Nadeem, then 5 months old.  He reminded her of our two newest grandsons born in March & July 2010.  He fell asleep on her shoulder during Church services -- something our own children never did!

All LDS members were baptized before moving here.  In Dec. 2010 Paula Garcia (from Bolivia) married a Catholic CPA in Bethlehem and quickly moved to the USA.  Mohammed Alshiabat became LDS 30 yrs. ago in western USA.

Our Church group had a lovely Sacrament mtg.  Afterwards the Branch R. S. Pres. presented a brief lesson.  We felt a kind, humble spirit there.  After Odeh & Mohammed became Elders in Nov. '10, the men started separating for PH mtg. 

While we were there with the Huffs on 5/22/11, the Hanania family attended for the 1st time.  Johny & Mary were baptized LDS in Utah several years ago.  They brought 3 sons:  Joseph (age 12) was blessed as a child in Utah.  Salibah came with his wife Dema & baby Marina.  They almost doubled the size of this group. 

From the back balcony of our Church facility, thru the distant haze, we could see the volcano-shaped Herodium -- burial site of Herod the Great. 

[See March '11 post, The Herodian] 

We could see Gilo (a Jewish suburb) & the Wall from our space.

On 9/12/10 our 1st passage back thru the wall was eventful.  A long line had waited at the check point, some for over an hour. Guards with machine guns patrolled the cat walk overhead.  Finally, w/o explanation, we showed our passports & were admitted.   (We always take those with us to the West Bank.)  

This Wall graphic says "Five Fingers -- The Same Hand."  That may cut both ways, on either side of the Wall.

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On 11/28/10, Marilyn and I returned to speak at Church  mtgs.  This time we took a taxi from the JC, carrying Thanksgiving food to these families.  Upon exiting, we noticed this elegant new home -- directly adjoining the exit road on one side and the Separation Wall on another.  (Note the guard tower behind the light post.)














Here, the Wall has some interesting graffiti. 

These Israeli border signs say they "welcome" visitors from Bethlehem.

On the Israeli side is this hopeful sign, urging "Love and Peace" between Jerusalem & Bethlehem.   How long will it take for that to occur? 

Except for Bethany, Bethlehem & Jericho, our group can't enter the West Bank w/o prior consent of JC leaders.  And Jews do not go there at all. 

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Bethlehem Independent Group Organization.  For the West Bank saints, Sunday 2/5/12 was a crucial date in modern Church history.  An event was held in the Church's own rented meetingplace -- the remodeled basement of the Marcous' same 4-story apt. bldg., where mtgs. had been held since Oct. '11. 

The chapel area was filled with 24 saints -- 20 of whom were Arabic speakers -- and another 12 were in the overflow (R.S.) room.   District President Player greeted members like Odeh Marcous then conducted the mtg., with translation by Jeff Crockett (Jerusalem Branch 1st Counselor, with the U.S. Consul).

Pres. Player announced that this group will now report directly to the District rather than the Jerusalem Branch.  Kevin Vogelman was sustained as Group Leader and attended with his wife Elizabeth and 5 very young children.  After the Ohmans spoke, Bro. & Sis. Vogelman testified that the Lord wanted them to be there at this historic time via a U.S. State Dept. assignment.  His work required him to learn Arabic and to be assigned to the Holy Land for the next 3 years.

After the meeting, the Priesthood (incl. Mohammed & me but not 5-yr.-old Yara) set Bro. Vogelman apart.

All attenders then posed for a historic photo.  It included long-time families (Alshiabat & Marcous, Dist. R.S. Pres. Sahar Qumsiyeh, Hanania family members and 12 non-Arabic speakers (not all shown here).  For years, many had fasted & prayed for this day to come.

Sanaa Marcous was baptized in Jordan Dec. '11 and held Nadeem (now 2 years old).  Part of the new Hanania family also attended = Mary with sons Joseph & Jimmy (also Dema & young Marina, only in the group photo). 

The Lord cares about the places where he was born (Bethlehem) and raised (Nazareth) and died (Jerusalem).   The future is in his hands -- and ours.

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RAMALLAH
This is the Palestinian Authority's current HQ. It is the largest city (30,000) on the West Bank.  On 9/27/10, we visited the Azar family at Carolyn Kufa's home.  It is 6 miles north of Jerusalem -- about as close as Bethlehem.

Founded in the 1500's, Ramallah is old but with some modern bldgs. It is a bustling city with narrow, winding roads on many steep hills but with much ongoing construction -- both Palestinian and Israeli. It has a large Christian community but a Muslim majority and several new Jewish settlements nearby.

This new Bank of Palestine bldg. is on the NW outskirts of Ramallah, near the offices of PCRF -- a charity we visited on 6/14/11.  (See Oct. '10 post, "Humanitarians -- West Bank.")  PMRS (another charity we visited there) has its own bldg. in the NE section of Al Bireh. 

Both times, while returning to Jerusalem, our driver circumvented some serious traffic by taking the Jericho Road -- arriving at the JC after dark on 9/27/10.



(See also Oct. '10 posts, "Political & Civil Events" & "Humanitarians -- West Bank" and May '11 post, Jerusalem with the Huffs).