Tag: israel

HEBRON, PALESTINE: GHOST TOWN

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Hebron’s Ghost Town: Shuhada Street

15 September 2012

Shuhada Street used to be an integral part of the vibrant centre of Hebron. The shops and markets, for which the city is renowned, lined the pavements. The street itself was a busy main road through the city and was considered the most important street in Hebron.

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Since the Goldstein Massacre, the Israeli occupation forces chose to make restrictions on the Palestinians rather than on the Israeli settlers living inside Hebron and the Palestinian movement have been restricted intermittently. Vehicles were banned from using the Shuhada Street, but it remained a hub of activity in the old city.

During the Second Intifada, in September 2000, Israel placed even further restrictions by closing the street completely off to the Palestinians. The justification given was “security”, often cited as an excuse to violate the rights of the Palestinian people. Today, only a few Palestinians are allowed to enter the area. READ MORE: http://palestinesolidarityproject.org/2012/09/15/hebrons-ghost-town-shuhada-street/

26DEC13. Hebron, Palestinian Territory.

OLD CITY, JERUSALEM: “IT IS THE HISTORY OF EARTH AND OF HEAVEN”

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“The view of Jerusalem is the history of the world; it is more, it is the history of earth and of heaven.” – Benjamin Disraeli

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Christmas Eve. Old City, Jerusalem.

OLD CITY, JERUSALEM: “WHOEVER DID NOT SEE JERUSALEM IN ITS DAYS OF GLORY…”

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Above: Damascus Gate

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“Whoever did not see Jerusalem in its days of glory, never saw a beautiful city in their life.”
(Talmud: Succah 51b)

23DEC13. Old City, Jerusalem.

THE DEAD SEA, JORDAN: “FLOATING”

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The Dead Sea, a.k.a. the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west.

 

The surface and shores of the Dead Sea are 1,388 ft. (423 meters) below sea level, making it the lowest elevation on Earth.

It is 1,237 ft. (377 meters) deep, making it the deepest hypersaline lake in the world.

It isn’t the saltiest body of water in the world, but at 33.7% salinity, it is at least the third saltiest in the world. Antarctica and Djibouti may have a bodies of water that beat it.

It’s about 8.6x saltier than the ocean, making it impossible for sea life to exist, So, there are no marine animals inhabiting it. Hence, it’s name: the DEAD sea.

It’s 42 miles (62 kilometers) long and 11 miles (18 kilometers) wide at its widest point.

Because of its unusually high salt concentration, you can easily float in it. Be sure not to get the water in your eyes (burns!) and mouth (taste stays for awhile!)

The Dead Sea area has become a major center for health research and treatment for several reasons. The mineral content of the water, the very low content of pollens and other allergens in the atmosphere, the reduced ultraviolet component of solar radiation, and the higher atmospheric pressure at this great depth each have specific health effects. (twistedsifter.com)

Biblically, the Dead Sea was a place of refuge for King David. It was one of the world’s first health resorts (for Herod the Great). (wiki)

Photo of me floating in the Dead Sea: Gemma Whittel

4AUG13. The Dead Sea, Jordan.