PUSH into Westbank
Trip Start
Nov 13, 2006
1
5
80
Trip End
Oct 21, 2008
Jerusalum,
Israel
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
On Tuesday afternoon I set off from Tel Aviv to Jerusalum to help organise a PUSH tour and conference. the weather had broken and unlike the drizzle you get in the UK, in Israel when it rains, it rains. I took the number 4 bus down Allenby to the central bus station from where I took a 'Sharut' - shuttle bus for 20 shekels. It took about an hour and when I arrived it was noticeably colder than Tel Aviv. The conference was taking part in the YMCA where I was also being put up ...no not dodgy, gay hostel but in fact quite a swanky hotel - a blessed relief after enduring the absorption centre for a week.
Wednesday morning we set off for a tour of the heritage sites. On the coach were academics from Israel , and representatives from the European Union (who fund the project). First stop was to pick up the Palestinian delegates. As they walked over from their bus any tension was immeditaely alleviated by the big smile and warm welcome speech from Dr Yussed. We set off east through the Westbank to pick up the Jordanian delegates - who were noteably better dressed than anyone else! The atmosphere on the coach was very warm and it pronised to be a great day ..until we tried to cross the border out of the westbank into Israel
. 
