Pack your bags- we are going to the West Bank!
West Bank!!!
Ok everyone, it's time to pack your bags again We are all going to the West Bank!!!!
Everyone, make sure you tell us what you want to do while we are in the West Bank!
First up- where should we stay?
How about, what should we eat?
Time for some photo opportunities! What should we see?
If you have been to this destination or live there feel free to share your photos and tell us what you did or do while you are there! If you want to go, share all about your dreams and take a virtual trip with us today!
Posted by
on Jun. 25, 2012 at 7:46 PM
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Replies:
by
Head Admin
on Jun. 25, 2012 at 7:47 PM
1
The West Bank has seven universities. These universities have greatly
increased the education of the Palestinian people. They are now the most
educated people in the Middle East. The high literacy rate is directly
caused by the opening of these universities. 2
The
West Bank has over 3,000 miles of paved roads. For an area as small as
The West Bank, having this many paved roads is amazing. All of the roads
in the west bank are paved and they help people move around The West
Bank. Many road blocks and barriers to travel have recently been lifted,
and a divided highway is under construction to make travel easier. 3
The
West Bank is not only one religion. Many people think that Islam is the
only religion practiced inside The West Bank. While a great majority
practices Islam, a significant portion of the population is Jewish and
there is even a small part of the population that practices
Christianity. 4
Coffee is
very important in the West Bank. It seems that every meeting in The
West Bank will be held over coffee. People in the West Bank view coffee
as a way to cement business deal. Coffee is also a social drink and will
end or begin every meal served. 5
Etiquette
is extremely important in The West Bank. No matter where a person is
they will find they are always met with a handshake and a warm greeting.
Hospitality is considered paramount in this culture. Even dress, is
considered part of the etiquette. Head coverings are polite.
by
Katie
on Jun. 28, 2012 at 8:42 AM
I dont know about this one...
Usually when you type in a country/city name the first few things that pop up are travel info sites. This just brings up not so good news stories.
I havent been able to find much for the West Bank.
by
Katie
on Jun. 28, 2012 at 8:44 AM
![[Country map of West Bank]](http://0.tqn.com/d/geography/1/0/m/7/we-150.gif)
I thought it was interesting to see "no mans land" on a map, never seen that one before.
The 5 facts are interesting! I didn't know anything about the west bank before reading this.
Posted on CafeMom Mobile
Oh!! It's all making sense now lol.. I needed to see this map in order to know exactly where we were talking about. Heller?!? I think I was having brain farts. . . .
Quoting liveforever:
I thought it was interesting to see "no mans land" on a map, never seen that one before.
Posted on CafeMom Mobile
YIKES!!! Maybe we should go there after all!!!
Travel News
Travel Pulse > Destinations > U.S. State Department Issues Travel Warning for Israel
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U.S. State Department Issues Travel Warning for Israel
By David Cogswell
March 19, 2012 10:23 PM
The U.S. State Department issued a warning on the risks of traveling to Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to remain mindful of security factors when planning travel to Israel and the West Bank and to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. American citizens in Gaza are advised to depart immediately.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt allows for some passenger travel, though coordination with local authorities is required and could take days or weeks to process. Travelers who enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing from Egypt must also exit through the Rafah crossing. The Israeli authorities do not permit such travelers to exit through the Erez crossing into Israel except in situations of extreme humanitarian need. Travelers entering the Gaza Strip may not be able to depart at a time of their choosing. Delays of days or weeks are common. U.S. citizens should be aware that as a consequence of a longstanding prohibition on travel by U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. government into the Gaza Strip, the ability of consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens there is extremely limited, including the provision of routine consular services.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strictly controls the crossing points between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The security environment within Gaza, including its border with Egypt and its seacoast, is dangerous and volatile. U.S. citizens are advised against traveling to Gaza by any means, including via sea. Previous attempts to enter Gaza by sea have been stopped by Israeli naval vessels and resulted in the injury, death, arrest and deportation of U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens participating in any effort to reach Gaza by sea should understand that they may face arrest, prosecution, deportation and the confiscation of their personal items by the government of Israel. The government of Israel has announced its intention to seek 10-year travel bans to Israel for anyone participating in an attempt to enter Gaza by sea. On May 31, 2010, nine people were killed, including one U.S. citizen, in such an attempt. The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem are not able to provide consular assistance in Gaza or on the high seas or coastal waters.
Small clashes continue to occur along the boundary of the Gaza Strip. Rockets and mortars are still fired into Israel from Gaza, and Israel continues to conduct military operations inside Gaza, including air strikes. Israel has also declared an exclusion zone inside Gaza along its boundary with Israel and has taken lethal measures against individuals who enter it. Israeli authorities have maintained a heightened state of alert along Israel's border with Egypt since an Aug. 18, 2011, terrorist attack that killed eight and injured nearly 40 along Route 12 north of Eilat. As a result of the heightened threat in the area, U.S. government personnel must notify the Regional Security Office if they plan to travel south of Be'er Sheva.
The Department of State also urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling to the West Bank. Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces are now deployed in all major cities and other limited areas within the West Bank. As a result, violence in recent years has decreased markedly throughout the West Bank. Nonetheless, demonstrations and violent incidents can occur without warning. Vehicles have also been the target of rocks, Molotov cocktails, and gunfire on West Bank roads.
The IDF continues to carry out security operations in the West Bank. Israeli security operations, including incursions in Palestinian population centers, can occur at any time and lead to disturbances and violence. U.S. citizens can be caught in the middle of potentially dangerous situations. Some U.S. citizens involved in demonstrations in the West Bank have sustained serious injuries in confrontations with Israeli security forces. The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens, for their own safety, avoid demonstrations.
During periods of unrest, the Israeli government sometimes closes off access to the West Bank and those areas may be placed under curfew. All persons in areas under curfew should remain indoors to avoid risking arrest or injury. U.S. citizens have been killed, seriously injured, or detained and deported as a result of encounters with Israeli operations in the West Bank. Travel restrictions may be imposed by the government of Israel with little or no warning. Strict measures have frequently been imposed following terrorist actions, and the movement of Palestinian-Americans, both those with and without residency status in the West Bank or Gaza, has been severely impeded. Security conditions in the West Bank can hinder the ability of consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens.
The Department of State also urges U.S. citizens to remain vigilant while traveling throughout Jerusalem, including in commercial and downtown areas of West Jerusalem. Spontaneous or planned protests within the Old City are possible, especially after Friday prayers. Some of these protests have led to violent clashes. Travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Isolated street protests and demonstrations can also occur in areas of East Jerusalem, including around Salah Ed-Din Street, Damascus Gate, Silwan and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. U.S. government employees are prohibited from entering the Old City on Fridays during the month of Ramadan due to overall congestion and security-related access restrictions. U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General and their families are prohibited from using public transportation networks, including buses and light rail services, and their associated terminals.
Israeli authorities remain concerned about the continuing threat of terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens are cautioned that a greater danger may exist around restaurants, businesses and other places associated with U.S. interests and/or located near U.S. official buildings, such as the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem. U.S. citizens are also urged to exercise a high degree of caution and to use common sense when patronizing restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, malls, places of worship, and theaters, especially during peak hours. Large crowds and public gatherings have been targeted by terrorists in the past and should be avoided to the extent practicable. U.S. government personnel have been directed to avoid protests and demonstrations and urged to maintain a high level of vigilance and situational awareness at all times. U.S. citizens should take into consideration that public buses and their respective terminals are off-limits to U.S. government personnel.
Since December 2009, two U.S. citizens have been murdered in separate incidents while walking in the woods in the Beit Shemesh area near Jerusalem. Israeli authorities characterized the murders as terrorist attacks. A bomb blast near the Central Bus Terminal in Jerusalem on March 23, 2011, injured several U.S. citizens. There are live land mines in many areas of the Golan Heights, so visitors should walk only on established roads or trails. Near the northern border of Israel, rocket attacks from Lebanese territory can and have occurred without warning. A terrorist attack on two commercial buses and two private vehicles on Route 12 north of Eilat killed eight and injured nearly 40 on Aug. 18, 2011.
Travel News
Travel Pulse > Destinations > U.S. State Department Issues Travel Warning for Israel
Share
U.S. State Department Issues Travel Warning for Israel
By David Cogswell
March 19, 2012 10:23 PM
The U.S. State Department issued a warning on the risks of traveling to Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to remain mindful of security factors when planning travel to Israel and the West Bank and to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. American citizens in Gaza are advised to depart immediately.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt allows for some passenger travel, though coordination with local authorities is required and could take days or weeks to process. Travelers who enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing from Egypt must also exit through the Rafah crossing. The Israeli authorities do not permit such travelers to exit through the Erez crossing into Israel except in situations of extreme humanitarian need. Travelers entering the Gaza Strip may not be able to depart at a time of their choosing. Delays of days or weeks are common. U.S. citizens should be aware that as a consequence of a longstanding prohibition on travel by U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. government into the Gaza Strip, the ability of consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens there is extremely limited, including the provision of routine consular services.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strictly controls the crossing points between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The security environment within Gaza, including its border with Egypt and its seacoast, is dangerous and volatile. U.S. citizens are advised against traveling to Gaza by any means, including via sea. Previous attempts to enter Gaza by sea have been stopped by Israeli naval vessels and resulted in the injury, death, arrest and deportation of U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens participating in any effort to reach Gaza by sea should understand that they may face arrest, prosecution, deportation and the confiscation of their personal items by the government of Israel. The government of Israel has announced its intention to seek 10-year travel bans to Israel for anyone participating in an attempt to enter Gaza by sea. On May 31, 2010, nine people were killed, including one U.S. citizen, in such an attempt. The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem are not able to provide consular assistance in Gaza or on the high seas or coastal waters.
Small clashes continue to occur along the boundary of the Gaza Strip. Rockets and mortars are still fired into Israel from Gaza, and Israel continues to conduct military operations inside Gaza, including air strikes. Israel has also declared an exclusion zone inside Gaza along its boundary with Israel and has taken lethal measures against individuals who enter it. Israeli authorities have maintained a heightened state of alert along Israel's border with Egypt since an Aug. 18, 2011, terrorist attack that killed eight and injured nearly 40 along Route 12 north of Eilat. As a result of the heightened threat in the area, U.S. government personnel must notify the Regional Security Office if they plan to travel south of Be'er Sheva.
The Department of State also urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling to the West Bank. Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces are now deployed in all major cities and other limited areas within the West Bank. As a result, violence in recent years has decreased markedly throughout the West Bank. Nonetheless, demonstrations and violent incidents can occur without warning. Vehicles have also been the target of rocks, Molotov cocktails, and gunfire on West Bank roads.
The IDF continues to carry out security operations in the West Bank. Israeli security operations, including incursions in Palestinian population centers, can occur at any time and lead to disturbances and violence. U.S. citizens can be caught in the middle of potentially dangerous situations. Some U.S. citizens involved in demonstrations in the West Bank have sustained serious injuries in confrontations with Israeli security forces. The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens, for their own safety, avoid demonstrations.
During periods of unrest, the Israeli government sometimes closes off access to the West Bank and those areas may be placed under curfew. All persons in areas under curfew should remain indoors to avoid risking arrest or injury. U.S. citizens have been killed, seriously injured, or detained and deported as a result of encounters with Israeli operations in the West Bank. Travel restrictions may be imposed by the government of Israel with little or no warning. Strict measures have frequently been imposed following terrorist actions, and the movement of Palestinian-Americans, both those with and without residency status in the West Bank or Gaza, has been severely impeded. Security conditions in the West Bank can hinder the ability of consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens.
The Department of State also urges U.S. citizens to remain vigilant while traveling throughout Jerusalem, including in commercial and downtown areas of West Jerusalem. Spontaneous or planned protests within the Old City are possible, especially after Friday prayers. Some of these protests have led to violent clashes. Travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Isolated street protests and demonstrations can also occur in areas of East Jerusalem, including around Salah Ed-Din Street, Damascus Gate, Silwan and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. U.S. government employees are prohibited from entering the Old City on Fridays during the month of Ramadan due to overall congestion and security-related access restrictions. U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General and their families are prohibited from using public transportation networks, including buses and light rail services, and their associated terminals.
Israeli authorities remain concerned about the continuing threat of terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens are cautioned that a greater danger may exist around restaurants, businesses and other places associated with U.S. interests and/or located near U.S. official buildings, such as the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem. U.S. citizens are also urged to exercise a high degree of caution and to use common sense when patronizing restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, malls, places of worship, and theaters, especially during peak hours. Large crowds and public gatherings have been targeted by terrorists in the past and should be avoided to the extent practicable. U.S. government personnel have been directed to avoid protests and demonstrations and urged to maintain a high level of vigilance and situational awareness at all times. U.S. citizens should take into consideration that public buses and their respective terminals are off-limits to U.S. government personnel.
Since December 2009, two U.S. citizens have been murdered in separate incidents while walking in the woods in the Beit Shemesh area near Jerusalem. Israeli authorities characterized the murders as terrorist attacks. A bomb blast near the Central Bus Terminal in Jerusalem on March 23, 2011, injured several U.S. citizens. There are live land mines in many areas of the Golan Heights, so visitors should walk only on established roads or trails. Near the northern border of Israel, rocket attacks from Lebanese territory can and have occurred without warning. A terrorist attack on two commercial buses and two private vehicles on Route 12 north of Eilat killed eight and injured nearly 40 on Aug. 18, 2011.
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Tampa or Clearwater (Busch Gardens)
- Cafe Amber
on Jun. 25, 2012 at 7:46 PM