Wall of the 21st century vol.1

The bus I took from Jerusalem to Bethlehem stopped on the half way. I got off and followed other Palestinian passengers to the direction of one-story house. It looked like a check point of border between East Jerusalem, which was under Israeli control despite of global controversy, and Palestinian Territory.
In the house, I saw a long waiting line of Palestinian and tourist. As I had experienced at the Jordan-Israel border, I kept in mind it would take longer for passing through. From the cat walk above, an Israeli solder was watching us holding machine-gun and walking from left to right, then right to left.
Fortunately, I passed without taking so long time. It's much better than in-bound direction. The line didn't seem to move forever. And always there was an angry Palestinian quarreling with Israeli officer on the top of the line. I would be one of them when I return. I'm sure.

When I came out from check point and looked back, I saw the wall which made by Israel. I had not expected seeing that wall, which would be 700km length when it complete, so soon.
I took a taxi. The car ran along the wall for a while. Passing through the area called Beit Jala, it's
2km for Bethlehem. In another words, Short walk from Bethlehem brought Palestinian people to the dead end.
The wall was built in the Palestinian residential quarter. In the space never given away, the wall was built even in the middle of street. The half of scenery was cut off by the concrete wall.
For the land where the wall had not constructed yet, brand-new highway connecting Jewish settlements was replaced to the wall. It meant some Palestinian residents who had house beyond the high way were watched by soldiers whenever they go home.

The construction of the wall began in 2002 by Israeli government for security reason (against suicide bombing, for example) . It means they shut the Palestinian Territory in the wall.
The point of international argument is not only for the construction itself but also the position of the wall. It's far inside of Green Line(the official border) which set in 1967. In another words some Palestinian Territory was taken part in the Israel.
With the strong arguments in the world, it's called "Apartheid wall". And many massages were written on the wall by the people and artists all over the world.
Meanwhile, for Palestinian resident, they leaned their commodity against the wall or put the restaurant menu on it. It looked like they accept reality or even give up protesting against it. And for me, this very behavior of Palestinian seemed much closer to the reality than Love and Peace message by stranger.