Palestine |
Capital : The capital city of Palestine is Ramallah
Official Language : Te official language of Palestine is Arabic. However English and Hebrew are also spoken.
Currency :The currency of Palestine is Shekel.
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Palestine is also called the "Land of the Hebrews" according to the Hebrew Bible. The country is located in the Middle East in the region which is between the Mediterranean Sea and the river Jordon. In ancient times Palestine was called Canaan and was made up of many small nations. The stories of Jesus Christ and the Prophets relate to this country. Palestine has a population of about 3,900,000 and the country comprises of Muslims, Jews and Christians. The country is not well developed and is a site of political tension.
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Major Cities
The principle cities of Palestine are:
· Nablus
· Ramallah
· Hebron
· Gaza
· Jenin
· Rafah
· Bethlehem
· Jerusalem
Tourist Attractions
Bethlehem is the birth place of Jesus Christ and the most important city to visit in Palestine. The major attractions in Bethlehem are the Manger Square, Star St., Manger St, the Shepherds St. it is a holy town and Christmas Eve is celebrated with great enthusiasm and zeal here. The Church of the Nativity is located here and is the world's oldest church.
Jerusalem is another sacred town and the city is full of life and fun. It is divided into three parts and is an important tourist attraction.
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The Ibrahimi Mosque is another attractive place to visit. Abraham was supposed to be buried in the cave of Machpelah in Hebron and this mosque is built in this place itself.
An exciting place to visit is St. George's Monastery which was built in fifth century. Many hermits who dwelt in the caves lived here and this place is worth visiting.
In the western bank, the largest town is Nablus. It is an Arab town with a lot of hustle and bustle. An old mansion of the Turks known as the Touqan Castle is located in Nablus and the garden and architecture of this castle is fabulous.
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Accommodation
Some of the top hotels of Palestine are:
Jacir Palace Intercontinental - is a five star hotel
Best Eastern Hotel - is a four hotel
Grand Park Hoel - is also a four star hotel
Regency Hotel - is a four star hotel
Some of the affordable hotels of Palestine are:
Al-Andalus Guest House
Bethlehem Inn
Alexander Hotel
Al-Bireh Tourist hotel
Precautions
The Israeli Military has entered into the regions of Gaza and Palestine has become an unsafe country to visit to. There are often firefights between the militia of Fatah and Hamas in the streets Ramallah and Gaza and the conditions of law and order is pathetic in the country. Many attacks have been made in the restaurants, shops and some of the private business. Gaza often faces rocket attacks and certain areas in the beaches of Gaza have been mined. Hence traveling to this country could be unsafe for the tourists'.
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