PALESTINE - ISRAEL - JORDAN - SINAI

Off the beaten track tours • Visit sites • Meet locals • Discuss Human Rights & Politics

Jerusalem and Nicosia: Reflections on Division and Unification

by Eldad Brin –  By far one of the thorniest standing issues between the Israelis and Palestinians is that of the future status of Jerusalem. The Palestinians, both Christians and Muslims, venerate the city, and above all the Noble Sanctuary which is Temple Mount in its midst. Other than that, Jerusalem constitutes the biggest Palestinian […]

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Through the Looking Glass in the Holy (Occupied) Land

By Chema Arraiza – Winter is the time to fly South. I make a small trip to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Am lucky enough to enjoy the company of Mohamed Barakat from Green Olives and other knowledgeable persons who help me learn more about the region. During the few days am there am […]

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The Politics of Archaeology in Israel

By Miri – Much of Palestine’s/Israel’s appeal to tourists stems from it constituting the claimed historical site of many of the stories of the holy scriptures and tourists come in flocks to see the numerous excavation sites, many of which seem to confirm the narrative of the bible. But can the material remains that archaeologists […]

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Jerusalem YMCA

By Fred Schlomka –  Green Olive Tours selected the location of the International YMCA of Jerusalem as a convenient central departure point for most of our tours. However our affiliation with the organization goes much deeper and reflects our endorsement of YMCA’s philosophy of inclusiveness in this divided city. Every morning, while waiting for their […]

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Melisende – Queen of Jerusalem

By Miri – His/tory is by and large written by men, and as such, many important female figures are being omitted or not given the credit that they actually deserve. This is especially the case if we are talking about women who dared to challenge the authority of men. One such example is Queen Melisende […]

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The Armenian Community in the Holy Land

By Miri –  The Armenian community in Palestine/Israel is mainly known for their presence in the Armenian Quarter, which constitutes one of the four quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Armenian Church is further known for being part of the custodians of some of the most important Christian sites, including the Church of […]

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Palestinian Bagpipes?!

By Miri – One day I went out to show some friends from abroad the place I live in: Jaffa. That same day the Muslim community was celebrating one of their most important holidays, Eid el-Adha, usually translated as the Feast of Sacrifice. As we were approaching one of Jaffa’s main roads we suddenly heard […]

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Beware of the Jerusalem Syndrome

By Miri – Many people believe that Palestine/Israel is an unsafe place to travel and a lot of foreign embassies and consulates caution about visiting a region that is seemingly always at the verge of a new eruption of violent conflict.Most of the times locals will however tell you that it is completely save to […]

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Obamarama

By Miri – Tel Aviv is frequently referred to as “the bubble”, and rarely anything seems to be able to affect its integrity, its sense of an ideal world. Not even a visit by President Obama.Except for the indifferent Tel Avivians everybody else in the region seems to have gotten excited quite a bit by […]

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And then there’s that Wall…

By Marianna Hillmer-Wiechmann – Marianna Hillmer-Wiechmann went on our Greater Jerusalem Tour and on our Hebron and Bethlehem Tour. In this article (for the German original see here) she puts her impressions into word and image. It does not take long to get from Jerusalem to the Wall. This huge wall, that Israel has built […]

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الحرم القدسي الشريف‎ / הַר הַבַּיִת / The Temple Mount

By Miri – It is a common mistake to see the root of the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis as grounded in the different belief systems. Obviously with the expansion and strengthening of fundamentalist movements on both sides during the last decades the conflict that is essentially about control over land is more and more […]

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On the Significance of Place-Names

By Miri – As a result of its turbulent history, of numerous conquests, occupations, and partitions administered by different powers, the official name of our region has been constantly changing. Similarly, its borders were and continue to be redrawn as a consequence of the struggles between different powers for control over the region as a […]

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