Read from the beginning. Geography has dictated much of Israel's history and limited its strategic depth. Its heartland consists of a triangle formed by Jerusalem, Haifa and Tel Aviv, where 70 per cent of the population and 80 per cent of the resources reside. This area is just 80km from the hostile eastern front. Latrun is an important road junction and the western gateway to Jerusalem. Many battles have been fought for its control. The British in their time had built a police station at Latrun, the model for many others in the country. Even today, these are intact though Latrun itself houses the Armour Memorial, a tribute to all the brave tank men and their fighting machines. The road to Gaza, 140km from Jerusalem, passes through Latrun. It is one of two routes to get there. Through Checkpoint Erez you enter the 365 sq km Gaza Strip, one part of the future state of Palestine now fully under its administrative control but Israeli sovereignty. At once there is change of flag from the Israeli white and blue to the Palestinian red, green and white. You are immediately reminded of Aldous Huxley's Eyeless in Gaza, a reflection of the times of the stark neglect of the Palestinians. Gaza rests on the Mediterranean Sea and resembles Worli Seaface in Bombay. Slums and skyscrapers cohabit. Prosperity and developmental disparities between Gaza and the rest of Israel are striking. Gaza is littered with garbage trolleys donated by the European Union, which is part of a US-led consortium rebuilding Gaza. A new harbour is being constructed near Gaza city. The modern but reluctant face of Gaza is seen in ads for Mars Chocolate. The face of the Arab beauty who is asking people to buy more chocolate is covered with a veil. The Gandhi activity centre, Nehru library and a cemetery for Indian soldiers killed in Gaza during United Nations operations in the early 1960s are worth visiting. The beachfront has no fancy hotels or restaurants, only a few thatched shelters serving tea and soft drinks. The exception is the cavernous El Sanmak Ghornata restaurant and coffee shop where most official parties are hosted. Gaza city will never become another Beirut, that's for sure. That Gaza is still in the making is also sure. The new state of Palestine will consist of territories on the West bank and the Gaza Strip with a combined population of 2.6 million. Who knows, like the erstwhile two wings of Pakistan, Palestine too may become east and west Palestine. Palestinians now have their own passports but still require Israeli travel permits. Haifa is 80km north of Tel Aviv and 140km north-west of Jerusalem. The Haifa highway hugs the Mediterranean coast. Haifa is also the country's main port and naval headquarters. Mount Carmel is the luxurious quarter of Haifa with plush hotels and eateries. A new Bahai temple overlooking the port is terraced into Carmel's hill face. Haifa, like Jerusalem, is built along slopes and on hill tops. There is a sizeable Israeli-Arab population that is integrated in the mainstream. Cars belonging to Arabs are distinguished by a green number plate. Banners announcing an Arab-Jew coexistence walk are part of the confidence building measures underway. Like other port cities, Haifa has its fill of fun places. The saying goes: 'After the pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Bethlehem, head for Haifa.' Meet my guide, Moshe Wolfowitz. He is Polish, 71 years old, veteran of four wars, a mobile encyclopaedia and from Mount Carmel, which is named after the narrator of the Battle of Haifa fought during the First World War (September 20, 1918). Wolfowitz says that most people in Haifa have forgotten that two Indian brigades were spearheading the assault on Haifa under British General Allenby. The Jodhpur Lancers, in a brilliant uphill assault from the rear surprised German artillery and Turkish machine guns on top of Mount Carmel. Haifa was liberated by Indian cavalry and the names of those who fell in battle are commemorated in the cemetery. Not many Israelis know that Indian soldiers have fought in Gaza and Haifa and other parts of Palestine with distinction. Israel comes to a virtual halt on Sabbath which begins Friday and ends Saturday. The Orthodox Jews whose four religious parties control the fate of any ruling party (there are 24 political parties) have a strict code of no work for Sabbath. It even bars touching electric equipment. Hence hotels operate an automatic lift which stops at every floor as touching the electric switch is forbidden. Although Israel has declared Jerusalem its capital, only the island State of Micronesia has recognised it. All the other embassies are still located in the de jure capital, Tel Aviv. It is here, that the Ilyatts and Hiltons, the casinos and massage parlours, the latter two masquerading as pubs and dancing houses, are located. A few miles south of Tel Aviv is the ancient port city of Jaffa, famous for citrus fruit and Yemeni food. There was a time when it was synonymous with Israel's war legend, Moshe Dayan. An ad in the town shows Moshe Dayan's eye-patch replaced with an orange, with the caption: 'The Best.' Do not try shopping in Israel - it's frightfully expensive except for olive oil, olives and Israeli wine from the conquered Golan Heights. Golan Red is the best. My guide in Tel Aviv is Moshe Sabarov. He is Russian, but cracks Polish jokes. This one is a wry Israeli rejoinder to the historic Land for Peace deal between Israel and its neighbours: "Israel is a peace-loving country. It has a piece of Syria, a piece of Jordan and a piece of Egypt. Now they all want a piece of Israel." Nearly 30,000 young Israelis flock to India each year after completing their compulsory military service. They simply love it. But only a handful of Indian tourists arrive here, mostly on religious tours. The four-day Israel holiday is over even before it starts. I cross back into Jordan over the Allenby bridge and marvel at the Israeli military fortifications guarding it. On the other side, security is a bit of a joke. No wonder, Israel has always been the victor in war. This time it is the Emirates flight via Dubai, back to Delhi. Besides the duty free shopping, for which Dubai is the best, there is my companion, Ms Jordan 1999, Najli Abdullah, who is a chain smoker and speaks English haltingly. The cigarette smoke clouds out the salubrious air of Khanzaman in Jordan. But I know the bridges over River Jordan will be open except on a Sabbath. Major General (retd) Ashok K Mehta is a frequent contributor to our pages. Tell us what you think of this diary
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