Monday was the day of walls. In the morning we viewed the wall separating East Jerusalem from the West Bank. The concrete walls are the physical component of Israel’s security “barrier” which also includes electronic surveillance, intelligence gathering, and cooperation with the Palestinian Authority. In the afternoon we walked the ramparts of the 16th century CE walls surrounding the old city. Next we went underground to view the excavated retaining walls and water systems from 8th century BCE. What struck me at the end of the day is that we viewed security systems spanning nearly three millennium - and tall walls are still in use. Nearly every aspect of human society has evolved over the 2700 years of history we saw on Monday, however some things remain unchanged.
Hezekiah's Tunnel to secure the water source to Jerusalem - 8th Century BCE
The Old City Walls - 16th Century CE
The wall separating East Jerusalem and the West Bank - Construction in Progress
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