Walling Off

Leaving Hebron was a very interesting experience. Looking at our watches, we realised that we were late. Very late.

The last bus from Hebron to Bethlehem was leaving soon and we didn't really feel like paying the extra price for a taxi.

So... we ran.

Mike and I were off (though he was soon wheezing) and before long we were through the souq and moving quickly towards the bus stop.

Kamil on the other hand was not so lucky. While we were running, he decided that the call of nature was stronger than our need to get to the bus. He ran off to the side to fix this problem while Mike and I continued running.

That's where the problems began. After Mike and I were well out of the souq, Kamil was able to start running again. However, instead of the nice empty souq.... he was confronted by a squad of IDF doing their patrol.....

He was of course stopped.... questioned.... and frisked.....

It seems running passed the IDF in the middle of Hebron isn't the best of ideas.

Eventually we found Kamil again, still running and the three of us finally made it to the bus stop.

It didn't matter. We had missed the bus.

But thankfully a service taxi drove straight passed us so it was all fine.
Back in Bethlehem, we started to walk back to the crossing out of the West Bank.
It's a sad situation... houses and lands completely split up.
No one on either side seems happy with this situation.
But the art work all along the walls and the adjacent buildings were both spectacular and inspiring.
Hopefully they are a sign of the better times that will come.