The Bridge That Separates...

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Assalamualaikum wbt ...

AlhamduliLLah syukur ... for the Tauhid, the bridge that connects us with our Brothers and Sisters in the Holy Land and the world over ...

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but today, my dear beloved all, let me narrate the story of a different kind of bridge ...

King Hussein Bridge/Allenby Bridge

King Hussein needs no introduction ... but Allenby maybe ... he was the commander-in-chief General Allenby of the allied forces in Palestine after capturing it from the Turks in 1917 ... slightly less than a hundred years ago that is ... This was the year of the Balfour Declaration for a Jewish National Home in Palestine. Five years later, in 1922, the British Mandate (in simpler term this is British Occupation dengan izin dirinya sendiri dan rakan-rakannya) over Palestine was confirmed by the League of Nations (now United Nations). In 1947 (note that mother was 7 then), the United Nations adopted a plan of partition of Palestine between Israel and Jordan. And in 1948, the British Mandate ended and on May 14th the Jewish National Council established the State of Israel ... war began between the Jews and the Arabs. Now dear where was Palestine? In 1948, war ended and an armistice was signed between Israel, Egypt, Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. Palestine was partitioned between Israel and Jordan. And the history of blood and tears continues ...

The Balfour Declaration

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We had a long wait at the Border Crossing ... aka The King Hussein Bridge if you are referring to it from the Jordan side but the Allenby Bridge from The Occupied Palestine (West Bank) side, secured and controlled by Israel. NO Photographs if you value your vision ... vision of why you want to go to the Holy Land that is ...  otherwise you'll be in trouble and denied entry ...

our group of 27 comprised the very senior, senior, not so senior, young, very young and a 6 year old.

Teachers and retired teachers and ustaz, former and current IPG lecturers, graduate students, a medical dr lecturer, and other professionals.

the queue for immigration at the crossing checkpoint was not so much as long rather massive ... because people were grouped together ... it was a bit havoc, for the Arabs know their way about and do the the needful with exuberance, loud and full of energy (keep clear of them when they are lugging their luggage) ( it subsequently occurred to me that that was energy of desperation and controlled anger under occupation) ... we on the other hand waited patiently (are not Malaysians a patient lot), doa was our best protection in such condition ... prior to the trip, we had been cautioned of possible hassle at the crossing ... we were given FAQs that could be expected from the Israelis immigration and security and we were informed of the proper way to answer them. But despite that an Israeli officer took a fancy at an IPG lecturer ... the female officer took a look at her passport and the computer screen, and asked our friend to wait on one side while they did what they were supposed to do (which after almost an hour and everyone has cleared the immigration, we found out they did nothing actually, because our friend was closely watching the movement of her passport). Meanwhile her husband and all of us were quietly making doa for her and her clearance.

we understood the point then ... they just wanted to test her and our reaction ... to tickle us that is (my husband has a more impactful and manly word for it but i will not repeat it here). Were we supposed to make hue and cry? Because that will be reason enough to deny entry?

AlhamduLillah syukur when everything proceeded according to plan ... do not worry if it is not according to schedule ... the trip was a lesson in the art of flexible scheduling.

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we were a bit tired all night in the plane (KUL-BKK-AMM) and upon reaching Amman's Queen Alia Airport ... we had some time to rest and did Fajar solat ... and off onto the bus to our hotel in Amman for temporary storage of main luggage, refreshment and then straight back on the bus to Jerusalem (Baitul Maqdis) through the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge ... at the immigration we, particularly I was just not in a fresh notebook condition to record in detail the experience at the bridge ...

but the following travel experienceof others more or less potrayed our experience ...

An Experience at The Bridge

and here's another experience for those who are Pahlawan enough to go it on their own without a tour group :)

An Experience at The Bridge and other Entry Points

  this is a check-point about 1.0km to the bridge ... image source ... here

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An American Experience and Perspective of the Bridge

 "The first thing you will notice, besides a lot of people with guns, is that the people holding the guns are generally Teenagers. The are actually High School Graduates, completing their Mandatory Military Service. All Israel boys and girls have to complete this Mandatory Service. Also a lot of fresh US/Russian/European Immigrants also may have to or often choose to do this service.

Lucky (if) you're not a Palestinian though. I met a man in Amman Jordan. Every day he went to the border trying to get back to West Bank. He was visiting family in a Palestine Refugee Camp (one of the biggest Refugee Camps in the world) and now the Israel Authorities were not letting him return. I met him on his 9^th day of trying. He said he would keep trying everyday. I hope he got home." 

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the Israel Immigration Building 

(no one is seen above ... image source from google). 

From the left ... at the corner of the building you would expect to see young and armed (both with guns and muscles so obvious in short sleeves ordinary shirts) Israel Securities chatting but looking important nonetheless. So take them seriously. They are not into photographs okay, although you might be tempted to immortalise them in your facebook album. 

You will be queuing to submit your passport for immigration check at the enclosed counters next to them. Queues which are more like group queues are in front of the counter. So take it easy and sweeten and strengthen our thoughts with zikir and doa while waiting for the process to complete. And don't forget to inform the Israel immigration personnel that you do not wish for your Passport to be stamped because an Israel entry or exit stamp will disable you to visit some countries including Arab Saudi (for Umrah and Hajj). 

May Allah SWT ease.