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| *Travel Tips>>>Israel Travel Tips |
I will be traveling in Israel and wish to visit Bethlehem.? |
Travel Info How do I get a tour of Bethlehem which is in the Palastinian Territory? Last year I was told by my hotel and my taxi driver that conditions inside the city are unstable and that kidnappings are possible. How would I contact a reliable tour company? I was told that my Israeli tour guide would drop me off at the checkpoint and I would be (maybe) be picked up by a Palastinian guide. Most people are then brought back after the tour. Nothing was gaurenteed. thanks Travel Tips there are organized tours, that will collect you from your hotel. Israeli guides are excellent.they will guide you thru Jerusalem and at the borders with Palestine, the guides will switch.on the Palestinian side their guide will take you to places you have to visit. in Bethlehem your time is fixed: you will have just enough time to see the Church of Nativity, not enough for any wondering around.tours are organized perfectly ! it is quite safe,I travel there very often. no kidnappings, no problems, police and soldiers everywhere. if you want to go by taxi ( very expensive) better take a taxi to the borders, walk thru and take another taxi on Palestinian side. . it is very sad to see a new wall built between Israel and Palestine: it is like being in Berlin again ! it is beautiful in Bethlehem, the people are extremely nice and friendly, the food is excellent and very good for shopping, cheaper than in Israel. wood carvings are fantastic and you can bargain a lot. after visiting the Church (there are groups coming all the time and you can always join them and follow the explanations of their guide) if you want to visit Rachel's Tomb ( on the Biblical Bethlehem-Ephrath road) and the Bethlehem University - you better do it by taxi. I am sure you will enjoy every second in Bethlehem.it is really worth seeing Others Last year I went with Sar El tours and we went into Bethlehem just fine. However, because it is in Palestinian territory, we had to have a Palestinian guide instead of a Jewish guide and our passports and stuff were subject to search. It wasn't to big of a deal but it is a little daunting going thru a concrete barrier with Israeli's with Machine guns point at the bus. Good Luck. It was trip of a lifetime for me. I went to Bethlehem when I was in Israel. your best bet is to find a taxi on the Israeli side who works with on on the Palestinian side then you will be guaranteed passage all the way to the church. One thing to look out for is that they will try to get you to go to their friends shops along the way, because they get a kick back. If you can't find a tour all the way you can get dropped off at the checkpoint and find another cab. because the cab drivers know that people do this there is almost always some waiting there are arriving. It is very dangerous in that area as long as you do not stand out you will be as safe as you are anywhere else. Keep your eyes open and your guard up, anything seems wrong leave the area. It is very difficult for anyone to be or feel safe traveling in Israel these days. Because the terrorists and armies are not objecting to using civilians as shields, there is no real way to guarantee safety. You are taking a great risk. Hopefully, through understanding, we will have peace in the Middle East soon, and all will be free to visit anywhere. go dont worry about thing , the Palestinian in Bethlehem will respect you , i have been there last year ,,, Note : Bethlehem is Palestinian area not Israeli ......its called Palestine not Israel |
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