Palestine
By Sebastian LaTorre
Bethlehem, Quiet Streets, and Listening
We leave Jerusalem early and take the bus toward Bethlehem. The ride is short, but the shift feels immediate. The streets grow quieter. Shops open slowly. There are very few tourists. People notice us almost instantly.
The Church of the Nativity anchors the city. We enter through the small door and move underground to the site believed to mark the birthplace of Jesus. A large group of Honduran pilgrims fills the space with energy. They touch the star, take photos, pray. Their excitement is contagious. I speak with them in Spanish, asking where they’re from, how they got here. They are glowing.
Outside the church, the streets are calm. Shop owners watch us pass, curious. We wander without a plan, stopping when someone invites us in. We sit down for lunch with a Palestinian shop owner who asks where we’re from and why we’re here. He thanks us for coming. He tells us tourism has been quiet for a long time.
As we eat, he talks about his family abroad. He explains how difficult it is to leave Bethlehem. How expensive. How complicated. He says the city feels like an island, surrounded, hard to exit. He pauses, then says it feels like being a bird inside a cage. He doesn’t sound angry. Just tired. He thanks us again for being there.
We walk to see the Banksy Dove mural, painted on the wall near the sign that reads Welcome to Palestine. The dove carries an olive branch. A target is painted on its chest. Nearby, the Banksy shop sits quietly. Inside, the owner tells us he watched Banksy paint here himself. He describes the night it happened like it was yesterday.
The streets remain calm as we head back toward the bus. People nod. Some smile. Some ask questions. We are aware of how visible we are. We are aware of how rare it is to see tourists wandering alone here.
When we return to Jerusalem, the noise and movement rush back instantly. But Bethlehem stays with me. Not as a statement. Not as a conclusion. Just as a place where we walked, ate, listened, and were welcomed.