By Boris Kurbanov, Special to The Jewish Sound
Last October, America’s favorite travel guru Rick Steves left for Israel with one goal: To “show both narratives” and help people in the West better understand the players involved in the Holy Land. There, he filmed his latest TV travelogue, “Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today,” which he premiered and discussed at a special preview screening at the University of Washington September 23.
The program will air October 5 at 7:30 p.m. on KCTS 9 in Seattle.
“I know this is complicated and it’s contentious, and I imagine some people on both sides are already upset with me,” Steves says in a bustling West Bank market four minutes in. “But I’m a travel writer, and the beauty for me is to come here with an open mind and learn.”
Steves, a Seattle native, sees himself not only as a travel guide, but also as an alternative source of information for Westerners, examining social and cultural issues and entwining together both Israeli and Palestinian narratives. He shared the lessons he learned while making his way through Israel and the Palestinian territories while giving context to the challenges facing the conflict-ravaged region, including disputed settlements, the security wall Israel erected in 2003, as well as refugee camps in Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Nablus in the West Bank.
Steves declined to visit Gaza, where violence erupted this summer. An audience member questioned him about not doing so.
“Hamas is violent, and Hamas does not agree to the existence of Israel,” Steves said. “I didn’t want to get embroiled in Gaza because Hamas employs and endorses violent tactics. And I did not want anything to do with that.”
Steves said he hopes those who aren’t able to visit Israel can live vicariously through his experience, from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to Bethlehem and Ramallah, interacting with residents and tour guides along the way. The key to understanding why the Israelis and Palestinians act the way they do politically, militarily and economically, he said, is having empathy for both sides.
Steves is a firm believer that traveling is the best way for people to truly understand other cultures and conflicts, and he said his challenge as a TV producer was to give this dual narrative and present a balanced look at the region while humanizing both sides.
“It is critical that we understand other people’s baggage and scar tissue,” he said. “The way I see it, there are 10 percent of people in our society dug in on this side and dug in on that side, and unless you take their narrative only, they’re going to be upset with what you’ve got to offer. Then, there are the other 80 percent of people that just want to better understand what makes people on both sides tick.”
Make no mistake: “The Holy Land” is focused solely on travel — sights to see and what to expect at such destinations as the Golan Heights, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, and the West Bank — and getting to know the people, as well as their history. It isn’t a political documentary, nor was that the intention, Steves said. The goal was to create a documentary that tries to give context, not push any agenda, he said.
If you go: “Rick Steves’ The Holy Land: Israelis and Palestinians Today” will air on KCTS 9 Seattle on October 5 at 7:30 p.m. On October 28 at 7:30 p.m., Steves will participate in a discussion at Town Hall as part of the Civics series. Tickets are $5; doors open at 6:30 p.m.