Hunny's and Must-Sees in Israel?

If you're around Jerusalem, be sure to do 2-3 days or at least a daytrip to West Bank. It's easy, you can just take a bus. Visit Ramallah and Bethlehem.

>>1233281
Thanks m8, definitely was planning on Bethlehem. What does Ramallah have to offer?

I'm curious on what you think the main thing to "do" is in the West Bank...historic sights?

>>1233281
I see that Ramallah is a Christian city. What are your recommendations to do here in terms of history + socializing?

>>1233282
Bethlehem is the main draw because of the Jesus stuff. But Ramallah is kinda cool, it doesn't really have many historical sights, but it's still the capital of the WB. If you look obviously foreign, expect to have many people be curious about you and talk to you. And ask you to take pictures and tell everyone back home about Palestine. Israelis will tell you it's dangerous and you will get killed, but that's bullshit, travel between the main cities and avoid the settler areas and you'll be perfectly safe.

One of the best beers I have ever tasted is Taybeh (the dark variant), a Palestinian beer. If you find it, give it a try. You can find it in some places in Israel but not many, because of butthurt.

>>1233293
It's not a christian city, hell not even bethlehem itself is christian majority it's 50-50 nowadays, the surrounding villages of bet sahour and bet jala are however christian majority places, ramallah is mixed, lots of expats and foreigners there for business and university exchange programs, not much to do there besides hanging out (city atmosphere) in cafes, restaurants, checking out the palestinian museum etc
>>1233294
What anon said is true, taybeh standard gold beer is also very good, i've seen it being sold in jerusalem and in some arab cafes in haifa, from the brewery owners themselves they told me that they export it to some european countries now as well.

>>1233301
Also if you're into lowkey non-touristic places definitely check out Nablus city, it barely has any tourism but has a very nice atmosphere, even though you will stick out like a sore thumb there for being a foreigner people will be friendly rather than try to rip you off or something, there's a nice old turkish bath inside the old city there called "Shefa'a" which has an arabian seating with hookahs, an oven where you can bring your own meat and they will grill it for you, and you can have an oil message inside for like 15 shekels, and nablus is the home of kunafeh so check out "abu ser" sweets or if you're there early during the day go to "al aqsa sweets" inside the old city for the best kunafe in town, if you wanna impress some locals eat it inside a loaf of pita bread.
You can go up the northern mountain to a viewpoint that overlies the city called "sama nables" which has cafes and restaurants there but the view is definitely worth it there.
if you have any questions ask away.
Source: i lived in nablus for 6 years

This thread interests me alot

I'm doing a birthright israel trip and ive extended my stay for about a week.

Are the Palestinian territories safe? I was thinking of taking a tour to Bethlehem but I'm not religious at all so idk if it would even be worth it.

>>1233304
Damn great alt-info there. Thank you very much.

>>1233294
>>1233301
I've heard the beer is great, sounds awesome. Especially the dark one. Thanks for the insight guys....I will definitely check out Ramallah for at least a day. I do look somewhat "Jewish" despite being a huge mutt....still think I'll be okay?

>>1233314
Yeah you'll be alright, there are lots of places where you won't be able to tell arabs from jews apart to be honest, and you will look like a foreigner anyway with the way you go around/behave/etc so it's all cool.

>>1233310
it appears to be that the west bank is safer than jerusalem at the moment, if you're not into the religious things it's still worth going to bethlehem, nearby in bet jala there's a really nice organic garden/open bar called "hosh al yasmine" that has a nice atmosphere in the evenings with campfires sometimes and you can sleep there for like 50 shekels a night

>>1233319
Haha, I also feel like most people would guess either arab or Jewish for me....hopefully both sides don't think I'm the other :)

Planning on wearing a cross to help show that I'm Catholic and have no political stance....

>>1233320
That's excellent info on the garden...thank you friend. What do you usually use for source of what is dangerous and what is safe? I haven't even heard of anything going on in Jerusalem right now..

>>1233364
bump for safety info

>>1233572
it's all pretty safe man. Also, if you want another opinion, all those Palestinian places are worth a day trip only for the sake of being able to say that you've been to WB. As is evident from the replies above -and despite their enthusiasm - there's really not much to see. (A great bar here and a place to eat tehre - nothing worth a detour, in my opinion.) Most people who go to Bethleem and the like go there for piligrimage. Also take note that all Christian monuments there were destroyed, then rebuilt, then destroyed again, etc -each time in a slightly different place and in a different form. So unless they have some religious significance for you, they aer not worth seeing. Some Roman stuff remains here and tehre apparently though

>>1233587
Thanks for your input...I do appreciate it

>>1233364
I'm a local mate, everything that i've said here i've experienced firsthand or know someone who did, last saturday there was a stabbing in the old city of jerusalem, of course tourists aren't targeted but the atmosphere becomes pretty shitty when something happens obviously (shitload of police everywhere, road closures, maybe riots etc).
Overall i'd say jerusalem is safe,east jerusalem more than west jerusalem but there's a trend of attacks happening in the old city or west jerusalem
What >>1233587 is partially true, you can move through the west bank in a short time but you can also stay for longer, go to a place for a night or two and see how things unfold, as a tourist there i'm sure you will have unexpected things happen to you because these places aren't usually touristic

>>1233823
Haha, thank you for the help and support friend. Many thanks :)

>>1233823
What about the pretty girls of Israel? How do they feel about Americans? Do you think I could get laid?

>>1233865
See the Sticky.

But in general, you could say that for Israeli girls money and status are very important. Of course they're important for any girls, but in Israel more than most.