DESCRIPTION
Palestine can refer to a historical
geographical region and also to an area which has been under dispute
for many years. Israel occupies the Gaza Strip (situated on the Mediterranean
coast) and parts of the West Bank, though these are being negotiated
to officially form the State of Palestine. In the meantime, these areas
are not advisable for tourist travel due to the dangers faced. Only
essential travel is advised. Once the situation has improved this
location will again become very popular with tourists, and visitors
who are coming for religious reasons. Currently the currency is the
New Israeli Sheqel and although Arabic is the main language, English
is quite widely spoken and understood too. In West Bank, the top destination
is the small city of Bethlehem, most visited for its biblical history.
Travelers can go to the Church of the Nativity, built above the cave
in which Jesus was allegedly born, and the cave itself can also be visited.
Also in West Bank is the Qumran National Park where the Dead Sea Scrolls
were discovered, along the popular beaches of the Dead Sea. The climate
here is temperate, so tourists will find warm to hot summers which are
mostly dry, and mild to cool winters.