ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on attitudes and perceptions of pilgrims in three major areas: The political attitudes towards Israel and the Palestinians, Attitudes and perceptions in relation to the security situation and attitudes, Perceptions of contemporary Israel. It advances from the holier to the less holier: with the more sacred image that pilgrims may hold on Israel – the Holy Land before they start their tour and to the more mundane attitudes they have towards Israel as a frame for the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The chances to meet Palestinians were determined by the number of days and/or hours which were spent in each pilgrimage trip in the sacred places in the Palestinian-controlled areas such as Bethlehem and Jericho. The Holy Land's sacredness for Christians cannot be eroded and the survey's purpose was to explore if pilgrims did come to Israel with presupposed images and perceptions and what were the sources of those images.
