Gaza and Jerusalem, 1997

David traveled around Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza for work purposes for a few weeks in 1997.  It was a period of high hopes, relatively speaking.  Things have gone downhill considerably since then.

Gaza

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1.  Sharing a pizza and Coke with the guys in the office.  I was amused by the Arabic script on the Coke.  I got pretty familiar with the pizza -- it was the closest restaurant to our office in Gaza, and the Palestinian guy who ran the place had recently returned from running another pizza place in Detroit.

2. and 3.  People playing in the surf in Gaza.   I stayed at the Beach Hotel, and took these pictures from my room.  It was always unbearable hot and humid, and salt spray covered the  windows.  If only life were as carefree for everyone there now....

Jerusalem

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4. A street in Jerusalem.

5. The "Via Dolorosa," supposedly the path where Jesus carried the cross.  Religion features pretty prominently in Jerusalem -- wherever you go, you are asked what your religion is, and that determines whether or not you are allowed to go certain places.  I'm sure this is what God had in mind....

6. and 7.  Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, supposedly the site of Jesus' crucifixion.  As you might imagine, competition is fierce among various denominations to set up representation in the church.

Out of the Middle East and back to Home!