One relives the collapsing wall of Jericho under the leadership of Joshua after he led the Israelites dry shod across the Jordan. The stories of Abraham and Sarah, Ruth, David, Gideon, Deborah, Samson and the patriarchs leap from the pages of the Bible into a personal experience. The thundering prophetic warnings of Jeremiah and Ezekiel ring from the hillsides. Sadly, Jerusalem has never been, and certainly is not now, the city of peace its name implies. The visitor to modern Israel cannot escape the reality of conflict.
Jewish settlements continue to spring up.
Palestinians struggle to regain territory on the West Bank. Youths hurl rocks. Security forces fire bullets. Both sides argue cogently and emotionally, based on centuries of perceived territorial rights. It's almost impossible for even the most casual tourist not to become bewildered by the controversy.