When you
are living in Palestine, you should naturally be a tourist in your neighbor
country. However for many Palestinians this is not an option. I am lucky to
have the opportunity to go where ever I wish, and choose from many locations
for my days off. As it was I decided to be a true tourist in Israel and explore
what perception of Israel I would get if I excluded the political side and
everything related to work.
One of the
biggest clichés is of course to go and bathe in the Dead Sea, so together with
a friend I went to Ein Gedi in Israel. The taxi dropped us off at the Central
station, where we had to pass through a metal detector and scan our bags before
entering. Everything was in Hebrew, so the atmosphere was very confusing and not very tourist friendly,
enhanced by the large amount of soldiers walking around with their big weapons
all around us. Obviously they are frequent users of the busses, and were also
having days off. Yet there were also other people on the ‘Egged bus’, working
in Israel but not necessarily from here, replacing the former Palestinian work
force. Perhaps the most interesting passengers were the young woman with her
baby who stopped and commented to the young soldier “Wait you are American, and
you are serving here in the army? That is so cool!” 
When the
bus dropped us off in the middle of the desert, the first thing you realize is
that you literally are in the middle of nowhere. When the bus has disappeared
you see how beautiful the desolate place truly is. The people we met at the
hotel and the spa, were very used to tourists and extremely helpful. Yet I was
constantly looking for the real life, real people and after the ritual sulphur,
mud and salt baths, we went to the public beach to watch the less touristy
people. Needless to say there were mostly tourists, and we started walking
towards the kibbutz for a reality check instead.
Distances
in the desert appear much smaller than they are. Nobody walks, not in Israel
nor in Palestine, and definitely not in the desert. Half way there we got a
ride, because that is what you do the tourist guide normally working in Eilat
said. We were dropped off as the Kibbutz pub/ restaurant and it was peaceful,
quiet and clean. That can be said of the entire kibbutz, it all looked so
normal once you had passed the gate and security control. A wooden deck, people
typing on their computers and a group of local guys around 23-25 drinking beer.
We went over and talked to them.
The
distance between Israel and Palestine appeared much bigger than ever before. In
Palestine there are not any resources to finance the tourist industry, collect
garbage or many possibilities for us as two young women to talk so freely with
men or to drink a glass of wine. However whilst tourism is not as commercial,
it seems much more accessible and genuine, because the Palestinian people
invite you into their homes and offer you their food and their time.
The day
after I was shopping in West Jerusalem, which is the Israeli side. The main
shopping street offered many opportunities to make insignificant decisions of
unnecessary purchases. It made me feel in control, and it made me feel momentarily
happy. Choices equal freedom, and we take it for granted that we can choose
what we want for lunch or wear tomorrow, and after a month I was honestly
rather bored with falafel . But the selection of choices are not the same in
Israel and Palestine, there is not space or time to waste on the things that do
not really matter. That is the true value of being a tourist in Israel, through
a distance I could see not only where I want to be, but also what it is for me
that matters; to live like the people, and understand the struggle and
happiness in their lives, to see reality. Living in Palestine is a choice too.
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