Israel & Palestine travel diary 2025④ (Unjustly expelled from the Dome of the Rock…)

Now, it’s day 2 in Palestine (June 1, 2025).

Planning to head back to Israel in the afternoon

Morning stroll in Bethlehem

After just one night, I checked out of Dar Jacaman, the hotel in Palestine that had kindly hosted me.

(photo of the hotel exterior)

I started walking through the morning streets of Palestine.

It was so quiet and peaceful.

Bethlehem really seems to put special effort into its scenery — more so than other parts of Palestine, perhaps.

The doors are painted in bright colors, and no two doors of the same color are placed next to each other.

It feels like this kind of thoughtful arrangement must be led by the city rather than just individuals.

As I kept walking, I suddenly came across a Banksy piece‼️

A dove — wearing a bulletproof vest.

A symbol of peace, forced to wear protection.

Banksy really has a way with satire and irony.

Incidentally, the gas station owner I spoke with yesterday said that Banksy might not be just one person, but a group.

I wonder if they come up with these kinds of ideas together as a team.

Just a one-minute walk from this artwork brought me to the separation wall.

Arrived the Separation Wall

This is the infamous Israel–Palestine separation wall.

To them, anything inconvenient or different simply doesn’t deserve human rights.

It must be thoroughly attacked and removed.

That seems to be the way of Jewish-Israeli power.

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The separation wall is filled with powerful, message-driven artwork.

If I had to give it a title, it might be something like:

“On the Other Side of the Wall, Israel Celebrates Freedom.”

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Oh — another Banksy piece‼️

An angel trying to pry open the wall.

Banksy truly deserves praise for giving form to deep emotions and inner convictions,

turning them into art — even at the risk of danger.

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Then I noticed something funny under that angel artwork — a quirky logo.

LOL

After taking in all these sights, I decided it was time to head back toward the Israeli border.

It’s about a 15-minute walk from the separation wall.

Crossing the Border on Foot — Reentering Israel

I didn’t take any photos at the border for obvious reasons, but here’s roughly how it went:

After about 30 minutes on the bus,

I was back in Jerusalem, Israel.

(It had taken me an hour to get to Bethlehem, but the return trip only took 30 minutes — not sure why.)

Since it was still early in the day, I got off the bus and headed straight into the Old City of Jerusalem.

Unfairly kicked out of the Dome of the Rock.

Now I’m heading to the Dome of the Rock, the third holiest site in Islam.

Oh! I can see it now!

And then…

Ta-da‼️

Here it is — the mosque said to house the very rock where Prophet Muhammad is believed to have stepped before ascending to heaven.

I’m an atheist myself, but as someone interested in the history of world religions, this moment feels deeply moving.

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But then — trouble.

Out of nowhere, a security guard (clearly Jewish) started yelling at me,

and I was kicked out of the mosque.

Come on.

I’ve visited mosques across the Middle East — including Saudi Arabia, where Islamic rules are said to be the strictest — and never have I come across a mosque where touching the wall was considered forbidden.

What’s more, right next to me were two white women, who were not only touching the wall but sitting on a protruding part of it.

And yet — no one said a word to them.

Let’s be real:

this Jewish-Israeli security guard probably just wanted to pick a fight with an outsider.

But not just any outsider — they wouldn’t dare confront Americans, since the U.S. supports them.

So instead, they target Asians, who they assume won’t cause an international stir.

Pathetic.

Anyway, no point dwelling on such a petty man.

I was starving (hadn’t eaten breakfast again today), so I headed into a restaurant.

I came to this restaurant because they had Maqluba, a classic Middle Eastern dish, on the menu.

Here it is 👇

Maqluba literally means “upside down” in Arabic — just as the name suggests, it’s a spiced rice dish cooked with meat and vegetables, flipped over onto a plate when served.

Apparently, it takes quite some effort to prepare, and it was listed at 80 shekels, but the kind-hearted Arab owner gave it to me for 50 shekels.

“50 is fine, my friend!” with a big smile.

Totally heartwarming.

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Hotel Trouble!!

Feeling tired, I headed back to my capsule hotel in Jerusalem — my first time back in two days.

But the moment I opened the room… something was off.

My backpack had clearly been moved, and every single zipper was open.

I’d been hit！！

…OMG…

But actually, I had anticipated this.

This capsule hotel had terrible reviews, and I had heard rumors of theft, so I was prepared — the backpack only had some extra clothes and a folding umbrella inside.

So, yes, it had been searched — but nothing was taken.

No harm done.

Sorry, dear thief 🙏

Nothing valuable in there.

And with that, I’m off to bed.

Good night.

P.S. — please avoid staying at a capsule hotel called “Capsule Space X” in Jerusalem. It’s shady and not safe.

(Next time: Final episode of my Israel trip!)‼️