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...

Jerusalem -- As the annual Jerusalem Film Festival opened on Thursday, several thousand people sat under the stars in the Sultan's Pool, a valley just outside of Jerusalem's Old City walls, to watch the opening film on a gigantic screen. Fireworks, kosher hot dogs, beer and rock music adorned the scene. It was the first time in its 23-year history that the festival opened with an Israeli film, Someone to Run With, adapted from David Grossman's novel about Jerusalem street kids with drug habits. The presentation captured the desire of Israel today to deal with domestic social issues and look to the experiences of its younger generations. But the reality of the current low-grade war in Gaza intervened as the program opened. American actors Jeff Goldblum and Debra Winger welcomed the crowd on behalf of the festival's organizers. Goldblum offered a short statement of support for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shilat and for “peace now and forever,” while Winger talked about the power of...