Talking about Israel past and present

A Tapestry of Israel and Palestine

Scratching the surface image


Julie Jones first visited Israel, with her 11-year-old son 30 years ago, to learn what the British, her father included, wouldn’t talk about.

A taboo subject; a forgotten conflict of the 1940s, and the real People of Israel and Palestine, reflect on the challenges of a century and how the past continually seeps into current issues.


Thought-provoking narratives encourage revised opinions about the ever-changing Holy Land.

The 'Scratching the Surface' book available now.


Anyone outside the UK, please contact me directly at:


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 CHAPTER 1 What’s it all about? 2 Our first day 3 An Evening in Jaffa 4 The Golan Heights 5 Suicide Bombing 6 1947 An Ugly war 7 The 6-Day-War 8 The Manchester connection 9 Museums 10 Ammunition Hill 11 The King David Hotel 12 Stern Connections 13 Tel Aviv talks to me 14 The Road to Manshiyah 15 Rehovot 16 Ramle Cemetery 17 On the Gaza border 18 The Negev 19 Latrun 20 The West Bank 21 Ramallah Palestine 22 Hebron 23 Going Home 24 As you were – Carry on! 25 The Last Chapter 

 Post Boxes outside the old Police Station - Left from British Mandatory Rule. The Kishle was built during the Ottoman Empire, it has since been occupied by the British Police, Israeli Police and now, it is a 5* hotel. 

 The Kishle is a 5-star hotel today, but the renovation has been done very well. 

 The Kishle in Ottoman times 

 Kishle late 19th Century 

  • Manchester, England, United Kingdom

Scratching the Surface. A tapestry of Israel and Palestine. Published 24th November 2022