Informing and confusing

So far, this trip to Israel and Turkey has informed my thinking AND confused it a great deal. For one, while in Israel, we heard a few times the Palestinian point of view in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a perspective that we do not easily hear in the Western news media. Stories of the wounds of the Nakba were fairly new to me, at least in terms of the humiliations some of the Palestinians suffered when told to leave their homes in 1948. Likewise, for those who remain in Israel, they are treated as second class citizens, lacking several basic rights, such as freedom to travel or equality of water lines. Some of our Muslim speakers describe their plight as being apartheid. The Wall is not following the Green Line and settlements in Palestinian territories continue being built by the Israeli government,  pouring salt on already existing wounds. 
Yet I am saddened that we have not heard clearly the Jewish view, particularly among those who wish for a peaceful resolution.
Particularly helpful, though, were those who spoke to us of the need for recognition by BOTH sides of their "wounded hurts," and yet also the imperative for both sides to move forward, to end acting as victims and to work for reconciliation. Hopeful signs of a few small groups attempting to work together ended our stay in Israel, yet a sense of futIlity remains with me.
The astounding beauty of the landscape of Istanbul is what has greeted us today, as we were totally amazed at the mosaic of colors, stones, historical layers, and architectural details of the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, the Chora Church. Like the astounding Dome of the Rock in Israel, these architectural wonders continue to impress. 
Lastly, today, we saw a Roman cistern that was not only beautiful but an engineering marvel! How all that water was brought to the royal family (in the cistern we saw, but there were many in the city) was absolutely amazing, almost unbelievable!
Betty and Ted

Location:Istanbul