Bethlehem and Ramallah

Bethlehem - Here was the church of the Nativity (it is thought) and a walk through the city of Bethlehem for some Karkadey juice and through the neighborhood.

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Ramallah - Interesting social commentary on the political situation from a Palestinian
perspective amidst the encroaching and continuing settlements. Went to Arafat's memorial. Rode through checkpoints to some of the different areas and our guide's home where he looks out onto new settlements being built. Makes for a tense life on both sides of the wall.

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The alternative tour - Palestinian Territory

It really doesn't matter your stance on the Israel/Palestine situation. You owe it to yourself to have a tour of Ramallah as well to see how people live on that side of the wall. It may reinforce your notion of things, it may prove/disprove some ideas, it may just strike you as another side's propaganda but it's a good balance if you plan on an open mind and if you've been spending a lot of time in Jerusalem.
The 'Green Olive Tours' company is quite good with their range of options. The idea is to walk around and experience things as the Palestinians do in terms of transport and checkpoints near and around Jerusalem

Some of the many works by artists along various walls.

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Then there were some of the more practical considerations such as hotels and houses that were discontinued because they were higher than the wall and thus present a security risk.

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And then some basics on life in the settlements.

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