The trip from Jerusalem to Ramallah used to take around 20 minutes. But ever since the roadblocks, checkpoints, and cement wall barrier went up following the Second Intifada several years ago, it can take hours, depending on who you are. For Jewish settlers and those with U.S. passports or some NGO (nongovernmental organization) cards, there are the settler bypass roads, built for and used primarily by Jews living in the surrounding settlements and outposts. A diplomat can get through with relative ease. But lately, not too many diplomats -- certainly none from the United States -- have made frequent visits there. Ramallah houses the Palestinian government and the Muqaata, the presidential compound where Mahmud Abbas sits and Yassar Arafat is entombed. Construction has begun on a large mosque in the heart of the compound, in tribute to Arafat. But the Fatah stronghold remains a secular city, with an active nightlife, good restaurants (that serve alcohol), and a vibrant but struggling...