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| Part III: The road to Bethlehem | Part III: The road to Bethlehem |
| (about 21 hours later) | |
| Aleem Maqbool is walking from Nazareth to Bethlehem, retracing a journey made by Joseph and Mary in the New Testament story of Jesus' birth. | |
| Part three of his diary began in al-Bireh, near Ramallah, and has taken now taken him to Jerusalem. | |
| Send your questions for Aleem using the form on the right. | |
| Read part one of the diary Read part two of his diary MORNING , 23 DECEMBER: JERUSALEM Advertisement | |
| Aleem Maqbool reaches Jerusalem | |
| Al-Bireh, just north of Ramallah, where I sipped my Turkish coffee, is where it is believed there was a caravan stop at the time of Mary and Joseph's nativity journey. | |
| It is also thought to be where, on a trip 12 years later, according to the Bible, the couple realised they had accidentally left Jesus behind in Jerusalem. | |
| The ruins of a Byzantine church stand there now, littered with plastic bottles and old newspapers. Beside the site is a mosque. | |
| Luke's Gospel describes the spot as being "a day's journey" from Jerusalem, which was to be my next stop. Many Palestinians here, outwardly at least, seem determined not to concern themselves even with the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip | |
| I headed south, with my elderly donkey, through territory I knew well. Ramallah is the city in which I have lived for more than a year-and-a-half. | |
| Amid all the chaos and conflict in other parts of the Palestinian Territories, Ramallah tries hard to cocoon itself. | |
| Three Palestinian refugee camps are incorporated into the city; Jewish settlements expand on the hills around it; access to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, or parts of the northern West Bank has become difficult - yet the building work on new apartment blocks all over Ramallah points to the beginnings of economic progress. | |
| Socially too, the city has tried to remain resilient. | |
| An evening out in any number of fancy restaurants or bars hypnotises the wealthiest of Ramallah's residents into thinking that all is well in the world. | |
| Many Palestinians here, outwardly at least, seem determined not to concern themselves even with the dire humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, for example. | |
| Underneath, most acknowledge that Ramallah's future is still incredibly fragile.A high concrete barrier separates Ramallah from Jerusalem | |
| Approaching the Kalandia checkpoint, through which I needed to pass continue my journey, I noticed a large, new piece of graffiti on the familiar grey. | |
| "ROMANTIK/POETIK," it said - the artist having started on the Israeli watchtower and continuing on to the high concrete wall that separates Ramallah from Jerusalem here. | |
| I had to say goodbye to donkey number four. | |
| We had been told by the Israeli authorities that we would need a licence for her if we were to film her in Jerusalem, which would take at least 30 days to come through. | |
| I was not so sorry - well-behaved as she was, the donkey was far too slow. I would look to get a new one near Bethlehem. | |
| I negotiated the queues, turnstiles and x-ray machines with few hold-ups, and headed through the crossing towards the centre of Jerusalem. | |
| I was turned back at a subsequent, smaller, checkpoint, but it was a minor inconvenience as I knew a route around it.The Old City of Jerusalem has welcomed pilgrims for centuries | |
| Mary and Joseph's nativity trail then took a small detour via my favourite hummus restaurant in the suburb of Beit Hanina. | |
| But it was not too much later that I found myself at the gates of Jerusalem's Old City, that had welcomed pilgrims for centuries. | |
| The narrow, stone streets of the ancient Christian Quarter (where I would spend the night), were decorated with coloured lights. It was impossible to stop smiling, in spite of the tiredness. | |
| This morning, Santa Claus visited the Old City - he was even handing out free Christmas trees. | |
| In fact, it was Issa, a well-known former basketball player, himself from the Old City, doing a good deed on behalf of the Jerusalem Municipality. | |
| "Peace to all mankind!" he said cheerfully while helping people select a fir that best suited them. | |
| MORNING , 22 DECEMBER: AL-BIREH | |
| "If people think my views are extreme, then fine, I'm an extremist," said Batya Medad. "I have no problem with that." | |
| Batya lives in the Jewish settlement of Shilo, in the middle of the "West Bank" (though Batya does not use that term, instead calling it by the Biblical regions it covers, Judea and Samaria). | Batya lives in the Jewish settlement of Shilo, in the middle of the "West Bank" (though Batya does not use that term, instead calling it by the Biblical regions it covers, Judea and Samaria). |
| Every country around the world, except for Israel, considers settlements like Batya's illegal, built on occupied Palestinian land. When I put that to her, she responded angrily. | Every country around the world, except for Israel, considers settlements like Batya's illegal, built on occupied Palestinian land. When I put that to her, she responded angrily. |
| "We (Jews) are the only ones with history here, we were here first and we should be here now. It's totally immoral to say we can't be," she says. | "We (Jews) are the only ones with history here, we were here first and we should be here now. It's totally immoral to say we can't be," she says. |
| Batya instantly felt at home when she moved from New York to Shilo "I don't care what the world thinks. They didn't care when the Nazis started against the Jews and when Jews were murdered. So why should I care?" | Batya instantly felt at home when she moved from New York to Shilo "I don't care what the world thinks. They didn't care when the Nazis started against the Jews and when Jews were murdered. So why should I care?" |
| Batya and her husband, Yisrael, were both born and raised in New York, but moved in 1970. She says she never had a feeling of belonging when she was in the United States, but that when she moved here, she instantly felt at home. | Batya and her husband, Yisrael, were both born and raised in New York, but moved in 1970. She says she never had a feeling of belonging when she was in the United States, but that when she moved here, she instantly felt at home. |
| Israeli and Palestinian politicians, supported by the international community, are meant to be working towards an end to the Israeli occupation here and the creation of an independent Palestinian state. | Israeli and Palestinian politicians, supported by the international community, are meant to be working towards an end to the Israeli occupation here and the creation of an independent Palestinian state. |
| However, Batya says she thinks that the peace process will go nowhere, and that her future in Shilo is not under threat at all. | However, Batya says she thinks that the peace process will go nowhere, and that her future in Shilo is not under threat at all. |
| From Shilo, I continued south along a route through a valley it is believed Mary and Joseph, and indeed many prophets (including Abraham) before them, may have travelled. | From Shilo, I continued south along a route through a valley it is believed Mary and Joseph, and indeed many prophets (including Abraham) before them, may have travelled. |
| Even in the past few decades, this landscape has changed considerably. | Even in the past few decades, this landscape has changed considerably. |
| Like many other Jewish settlements, Shilo occupies a hilltop | Like many other Jewish settlements, Shilo occupies a hilltop |
| On many of the hilltops were the gleaming, red-roofed homes of Jewish settlements. Down below them, the more haphazard, organic-looking, Palestinian villages. There is almost no interaction between the two sets of communities, only tension. | On many of the hilltops were the gleaming, red-roofed homes of Jewish settlements. Down below them, the more haphazard, organic-looking, Palestinian villages. There is almost no interaction between the two sets of communities, only tension. |
| It was an uncomfortable walk, as I received suspicious looks from both settlers and Palestinians. | It was an uncomfortable walk, as I received suspicious looks from both settlers and Palestinians. |
| The settlers I passed, one or two of them armed, seemed to assume I was Palestinian, and so, perhaps, a potential attacker. "Assalamo alaikum," one settler said as he approached me, in what I felt was a test. I decided a "hi" might be better than the traditional Muslim reply in these circumstances. He relaxed and walked away. | The settlers I passed, one or two of them armed, seemed to assume I was Palestinian, and so, perhaps, a potential attacker. "Assalamo alaikum," one settler said as he approached me, in what I felt was a test. I decided a "hi" might be better than the traditional Muslim reply in these circumstances. He relaxed and walked away. |
| The Palestinians, who heard me speaking English on my phone, seemed to assume I was an immigrant settler. "Mustoutan, mustoutan" ("settler, settler"), I heard a young boy shout as he ran into his house after clocking me. | The Palestinians, who heard me speaking English on my phone, seemed to assume I was an immigrant settler. "Mustoutan, mustoutan" ("settler, settler"), I heard a young boy shout as he ran into his house after clocking me. |
| I decided to quicken my pace and walk close to the main road. | I decided to quicken my pace and walk close to the main road. |
| Donkey number four was waiting for me further down the trail. She was white from head to tail, except for a dark, rough patch on her right flank - I asked her owner what it was. | Donkey number four was waiting for me further down the trail. She was white from head to tail, except for a dark, rough patch on her right flank - I asked her owner what it was. |
| Meet the donkeys who have accompanied Aleem on his journeyIn pictures | |
| He told me that the donkey came from the Kalandia Refugee Camp, close to Ramallah. A few years ago, he said, when there were frequent clashes between young people from the camp and Israeli soldiers, the donkey had brushed against a pile of burning tyres which set her hair alight. He said there had thankfully been no lasting damage. | |
| The donkey seemed to be very well-behaved. It was only once I starting walking with my new companion that I realised that we did have a problem - she was extraordinarily slow. We called the owner again, who explained that she was now in her mid-twenties, so there was nothing we could do about her speed. I persevered. | The donkey seemed to be very well-behaved. It was only once I starting walking with my new companion that I realised that we did have a problem - she was extraordinarily slow. We called the owner again, who explained that she was now in her mid-twenties, so there was nothing we could do about her speed. I persevered. |
| By evening, I eventually reached the village of Bir Zeit where I was to stay with the Christian Kassis family (roughly half of the village is Muslim, the other half Christian). | By evening, I eventually reached the village of Bir Zeit where I was to stay with the Christian Kassis family (roughly half of the village is Muslim, the other half Christian). |
| Over the traditional Palestinian dish of Maklouba (which means "upside-down" and is wonderful mix of rice, meat and yoghurt), I spoke to Mrs Kassis and the older of her two sons (the other was out with university friends). | Over the traditional Palestinian dish of Maklouba (which means "upside-down" and is wonderful mix of rice, meat and yoghurt), I spoke to Mrs Kassis and the older of her two sons (the other was out with university friends). |
| I was told that the family's former house, and the land around it had been confiscated by the Israeli army as it was next to the checkpoint to the north of the village (which I had entered earlier). There had been no compensation, they said. | I was told that the family's former house, and the land around it had been confiscated by the Israeli army as it was next to the checkpoint to the north of the village (which I had entered earlier). There had been no compensation, they said. |
| Earlier this year, the younger son had been arrested by the army in a 3am raid on the house. His brother told me that he had been held without charge (something the Israeli authorities call "administrative detention") for six months before being released. | Earlier this year, the younger son had been arrested by the army in a 3am raid on the house. His brother told me that he had been held without charge (something the Israeli authorities call "administrative detention") for six months before being released. |
| If it looks like we might miss Christmas in Bethlehem because of the donkey's slow pace, I will have to trade her in for a younger animal | If it looks like we might miss Christmas in Bethlehem because of the donkey's slow pace, I will have to trade her in for a younger animal |
| While we were eating, there was a knock at the door. Mrs Kassis answered and then came back into the kitchen, beaming, with a piece of paper in her hand. | While we were eating, there was a knock at the door. Mrs Kassis answered and then came back into the kitchen, beaming, with a piece of paper in her hand. |
| "It's my permit from Israel to travel to Jerusalem for Christmas," she said proudly. Her son was not so impressed. | "It's my permit from Israel to travel to Jerusalem for Christmas," she said proudly. Her son was not so impressed. |
| "It's sad that we get excited about these little things while everything else is going wrong," he said. | "It's sad that we get excited about these little things while everything else is going wrong," he said. |
| I spent the night at the Kassis home and have made my way south to al-Bireh. I write this report from a coffee shop there, full of old men (some wearing the traditional Palestinian headscarf) playing cards and drinking tea. | I spent the night at the Kassis home and have made my way south to al-Bireh. I write this report from a coffee shop there, full of old men (some wearing the traditional Palestinian headscarf) playing cards and drinking tea. |
| The donkey waits outside. We will see how she does, but if it looks like we might, in fact, miss Christmas in Bethlehem because of her slow pace, I will have to trade her in for a younger animal. | The donkey waits outside. We will see how she does, but if it looks like we might, in fact, miss Christmas in Bethlehem because of her slow pace, I will have to trade her in for a younger animal. |