Jerusalem- 28/11/19
Crossing into Israel after so long in Jordan and Palestine was intensely jarring. After so many huge roadside signs stating that you are heading into a Palestinian village and that it’s not safe for Israelis- in English, watching the reverse made me want to scream. I was on a public bus filled with Palestinians, we drove along ten-metre concrete walls before stopping at a checkpoint.
Following the lead of my fellow passengers, I get out of the bus and join the line, with passport in hand. But the bus driver orders me back on the bus, and I comply, not wanting to cause a scene. Two soldiers enter the bus to check IDs of myself and the Palestinians that meet the age/disability requirement. I hand over my passport, and its barely glanced at before handed back to me with a grunt. A gentleman behind me is asked his age (53) and was told next time to get off the bus. Another gentleman in his seventies apparently needed further questions and was ordered off the bus. After quick checks of the Palestinians waiting outside, we depart. The man was still outside waiting as we pulled away. The last I saw of him was as my hand was held against the bus window in a pointless gesture of solidarity, but he never saw me as the bus pulled away. I only realized then that my interaction with the soldier was conducted while I was still wearing my hat and sunglasses, which I never would have gotten away with usually.
Adrian's Got The Moose 
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