InfoAnda - Settlers cultivate West Bank tourism to tighten grip on land |

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

Taiwan, US to resume trade talks next year: envoy | 25 November 2009
Owners of islands in Japan-China feud shun PM Noda's bid | | 20 July 2012
Michael Jackson doctor trial delayed to September | | 3 May 2011

Iranian director says politics force him to work abroad | 14 October 2010

Forum Views () Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Settlers cultivate West Bank tourism to tighten grip on land |

Edition: U.S. Article Comments (0) Slideshow Full Focus Editor's choice Our top photos from the weekend. Full Article Follow Reuters Facebook Twitter RSS YouTube Read Boeing expects customers to look at Airbus neo 9:41am EDT Wal-Mart wins Supreme Court sex-bias ruling | 4:18pm EDT Analysis: Germany goes back to black in snub to green power 10:59am EDT Northern Ireland celebrates McIlroy's U.S. Open win 10:56am EDT Anthony case recesses after judge criticizes lawyers 4:38pm EDT Discussed 73 Republicans to debate, with Romney the frontrunner 48 Weiner tells friends he will resign: NY Times 46 IMF cuts U.S. growth forecast, warns of crisis Watched Paris air show takes off Sat, Jun 18 2011 Airbus' view of flying in the future Mon, Jun 13 2011 Hefner's revenge; Ryan Reynolds stops traffic Fri, Jun 17 2011 Settlers cultivate West Bank tourism to tighten grip on land Tweet Share this Email Print Related News Jewish settlers accused in West Bank mosque attack Tue, Jun 7 2011 Palestinians accuse settlers in W.Bank mosque attack Tue, Jun 7 2011 Israel sees Syrian hand in Golan clashes, 23 dead Mon, Jun 6 2011 Clinton meets Israeli, Palestinian peace envoys Mon, Jun 6 2011 Russia says deeply concerned by Golan clashes Mon, Jun 6 2011 Analysis & Opinion Is Groupon a savior or a destroyer? Fewer small businesses taking summer vacation Related Topics World » 1 / 3 Tourists stand at a lookout point on Mount Gerizim, overlooking the West Bank city of Nablus, during a tour of Jewish settlements in the West Bank June 13, 2011. Credit: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun By Maayan Lubell RECHELIM, West Bank | Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:58pm EDT RECHELIM, West Bank (Reuters) - The bulletproof van is extra. Welcome to the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Jewish settlements built on land Palestinians seek for a state are opening their gates to foreign tourists and Israeli visitors. A one-day tour, booked through a regional settler council, costs $50. An additional $80 secures the armored bus. Palestinians, or "local Arabs" in the words of settlers who spoke to one group of visitors, are not on the itinerary. "We are not monsters," Ilana Shimon told a clutch of tourists this week, leading them through Havat Gilad, a small settlement outpost built without Israeli government authorization. "I'm against violence. All we want is to sit on our land and we want you to be our ambassadors," Shimon told her visitors near her home in Havat Gilad, where she lives with 30 other families, making up about 250 people, most of them children. Her audience, comprised of seven non-Jewish tourists from Belgium, France, the United States and the Indian Ocean island of Reunion, seemed to agree. "The world needs to know the truth, all they see is the violence," Aline Boyer from Reunion said. About 300,000 Jewish settlers live in the West Bank, occupied by Israel in a 1967 war and home to 2.5 million Palestinians. The World Court has ruled the settlements illegal. Although violence has mostly subsided since a 2000-2005 Palestinian uprising, clashes between settlers and Palestinians are not uncommon, along with mutual accusations of vandalizing crops, fields, private property and holy shrines. The placid vista presented to the tourists include organic farms offering an assortment of goat cheese and yoghurt, as well as flourishing vineyards that produce boutique wines. Palestinians see things very differently -- the settlements, they fear, will deny them a viable state, and an Israeli barrier is cutting through the West Bank, a project they condemn as a land grab and which Israel says is necessary for security. "ENDING IGNORANCE" The tour took the group through several small settlements, some of them built without official permission by settlers who see themselves as pioneers exercising their claim to a Biblical birthright to the land. Sitting round a wooden table eating a rustic meal of goat cheese, yoghurt and eggs, Daniel and Catherine Lippert from Belgium gave their impressions of their Israeli hosts in an organic dairy farm near the settlement of Itamar. "The media portrays the settlers as crazy, violent obstacles to peace and we want to tell everyone at home what we saw," Catherine said. The tour group's members defined themselves as former Christians who believe Jesus is the saviour but also abide by some Jewish ritual laws. "We love Israel and pray together every Sabbath on Skype," said Simone Van Goethem, from Belgium. Daniel Lippert said he and his wife come to Israel two or three times a year, but this was their first visit to the West Bank. "We donated money to Havat Gilad last year because it is the right thing to do," Daniel said. "God promised the land to the Jews. The Palestinians should become Israeli citizens or leave." Nati Yisraeli, tourism coordinator for the settlers' regional council, said he hoped the tours would "end ignorance, by bringing people to see for themselves." "We want people to know what they're talking about when they discuss the future of the settlements. We want them first to experience the place, the people." he said. Yisraeli said the number of tourists rose to almost 100,000 in 2010 from 45,000 in 2008. These include large Israeli groups which come mostly on Jewish holidays, as well as foreign tourists. Yisraeli's eyes lit up each time he pointed out ancient sites. A quick detour through rolling hills dotted with olive groves and grape vines took the group near the Palestinian city of Nablus, where they admired, from a distance, Joseph's Tomb, believed by worshippers to be the burial site of the Jewish patriarch. The group's next stop was the settlement of Itamar. As the vehicle approached, the driver checked that all had heard of the Fogel family, a couple and three of their children killed in the settlement in March. The killing was the most serious attack in years and shocked Israel, which has charged two Palestinian men with the murder. WINE TASTING In the small settlement of Rechelim, Vered Ben Saadon, owner of its Tura winery, said she lets her award-winning Cabernets and Merlots do the talking when it comes to winning hearts and minds. "Talking politics sullies the wine's flavor. Our visitors, after getting to know the place, leave a little confused. They see a quality product and nice people who make it. It throws them off balance," Ben Saadon said. In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said any future peace deal with the Palestinians would leave some settlements beyond Israel's borders suggesting that places like Rechelim, in remote areas, could be abandoned. But Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been frozen since last year in a dispute over construction in Jewish settlements, with little sign of revival soon. "There is no other explanation to our success other than divine providence," Ben Saadon said. "We didn't come here to make a business profit, we came here for the love of the land and as the years go by we see God is rewarding us." (Editing by Janet Lawrence) World Tweet this Link this Share this Digg this Email Reprints We welcome comments that advance the story through relevant opinion, anecdotes, links and data. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. For more information on our comment policy, see http://blogs.reuters.com/fulldisclosure/2010/09/27/toward-a-more-thoughtful-conversation-on-stories/ Comments (0) Be the first to comment on reuters.com. Add yours using the box above. Social Stream (What's this?) © Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Reader Feedback Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Analyst Research Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week FindLaw Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service Reuters on Facebook Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests. NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.

Other News on Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Yemen says army beating militants in southern city |
Original Glee cast to graduate in 2012
Latest on Obama's War Powers Act workaround
Settlers cultivate West Bank tourism to tighten grip on land |
Rep. Giffords enjoys "beautiful weekend" return to Tucson
Health On The Hill Transcript: Dems, GOP stake out positions in budget talks
Report: Cavs considering Enes Kanter for No. 1 draft pick?
Court upholds Corsican separatist's murder verdict |
Boeing takes big orders at Paris Air Show
NHL salary cap expected to rise again; should increase to $64 million
Church should pay Dutch abuse victims: commission |
Borders to name bankruptcy buyer by July
Amy Winehouse booed off stage, cancels tour dates
Three slain in southern Somalia battle
Facebook to take top spot in U.S. display ad market |
RIM marketing executive jumps ship for Samsung |
Rambus antitrust trial kicks off against rivals |
GPS interference alters LightSquared network plans |
Hackers bring down British police Website |
Defense firms see opportunity in cyber attacks |
Jackass co-star dies in car crash in Pennsylvania |
Tennis great Jimmy Connors to write memoir |
Tunisia's Ben Ali sentenced in absentia to 35 years in jail |
Jason Giambi blasts Rockies past Indians with three run shot
Syria forces sweep Aleppo as Assad promises reform |
U.S. fails to move beyond words against Sri Lanka for war-crimes against Tamils
Hinduism Summit in Virginia attracts pan-American audience, calls for action
Russia says plane crash kills 44, eight injured |
Dodgers TV deal rejected by MLB; team may not be able to pay bills
Bombs kill 21 at local Iraqi governor's house |
Russian Tu-134 plane crashes near Petrozavodsk
Cee-Lo Green denies he is homophobic following Tweet
Australian flights disrupted by ash cloud again |
Mubarak diagnosed with cancer before his August trial
Hurricane Beatriz heads to Mexico's Pacific coast |
Cast for Basketball Wives LA revealed
Male manicure sparks discrimination suit, court stops salon from charging men more
Supreme Court Strikes Down Huge Sex Discrimination Lawsuit Against Walmart
Nokia unveils new Windows smartphone |
India IT hub orders Google to suspend Street View service |
TerreStar units fight $104 million claim from Sprint |
Scandals or not, VC firms still love China Net startups |
Sprint offers AT&T spectrum solution without merger |
Apple deal could buy Nokia time to change: Moody's |
Nokia unveils new N9 smartphone in Singapore |
Mad Men, Modern Family honored by TV critics |
Gossip Girl star to play Jeff Buckley in movie |
50 Cent writes anti-bullying book for teens |
Peter Fonda marries in Hawaii |
Rock guitarist Leslie West's lower leg amputated |
Marilyn Monroe subway dress breaks auction record |
Britain says can stay in Libya fight as long as needed |
Yemen says steps up fight against Islamists |
Final court approval for Native American class action suit
Pakistan arrests brigadier over Islamist ties |
McKinsey stands by contested health insurance survey
Local wisdom key to combating animal diseases
U.N. urges countries to extend permits for Haitians |
Analysis: Home-grown frustration behind Nigeria bombing |
War in Libya reaches Gaza gas pumps
Italy's Berlusconi overcomes parliamentary test |
Actor Doug Hutchinson, 51, marries 16-year-old girl in Las Vegas
Congo measles outbreak kills 32, infects hundreds
Disgraced Amy Winehouse cancels entire European tour
Iran invites U.N. atom chief to see its nuclear sites |
This cat burglar is one sneaky cat--really.
Protestors march through Valencia in diapers
Aces with bats, too; Phillies pitchers also a hit at plate
LulzSec's ambition grows, targets secret government data |
More pain for Nokia, RIM seen as smartphones get cheaper |
Verizon to kick off usage-based pricing in July |
RIM starts handing out layoff notices, report says |
John Galliano to attend anti-Semitic trial |
Amy Winehouse cancels entire tour |
No regrets for resurgent musician Leon Russell |
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01