Inside The Forbidden Country - (peaceful coexistence INSIDE of democratic Israel)

FRONT PAGE MAGAZINE.COM ^ | JANUARY 5, 2005 | NONIE DARWISH

[CHARLITE]

I recently appeared as a speaker at the second annual Jerusalem Summit held at Israel's King David Hotel. In doing so, I deliberately flaunted the rules that govern Arab behavior toward Israel. Israel's neighbors, the dictatorships that compose the Arab League, forbid their subjects to visit or do business with Israel and its citizens. I am an American raised in Gaza and Egypt; needless to say, I expected my visit to raise some eyebrows.

In fact, Israel is a traveler's delight. This tiny country welcomes tourists from around the globe. Israel combines the charms of East and West, and given the threat of Middle East terrorism, Israeli army and police forces provide tight security at all times. One feels well protected in Israel as a result.

You can tell a lot about a society by the status of its women. In Israel, many females are self-confident and highly educated. The government relies on such women to perform important duties in military and security operations.

My trip to Israel began on the beautiful Mediterranean coast, at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Next, a half-hour taxi ride took me to east to Jerusalem, the ancient holy city. I took a moment to remember the Christian minorities in Arab countries -- people of faith forbidden to visit their Holy Land.