Piano Bar at The Walled Off Hotel, Bethlehem, Palestine: Queers with beer

My queer buddies and I grabbed a Palestinian beer at the “worst-view-in-the-world” hotel’s bar in the West Bank. *I last visited this place in 2019.

The queer of 6, awfully quiet Queer Eye with gay Psy, was us.

It was Saturday night at an apartment in Jerusalem, Israel. We decided to cross the border and have a night out in Palestine because it was 10x closer than going to the gay capital Tel Aviv.

7.3 km (4.5 miles) and 20 minute-drive later, after a Fauda-inspiring night ride, we made it to Area A of the West Bank in Palestine. The travel was sheer luxury for us because Israelis are not allowed to enter the area. Since we were non-Israeli gays, we were technically allowed to party.

Area A of the West Bank is not the best option for LGBTQ tourism but the law is (only slightly) more lenient compared to the other Palestine territory Gaza. Gays are not immediately illegal here although I never wanted to openly talk about sexuality either. This don’t-say-gay situation reminded me of how it is in my hometown Kyoto, Japan. Given the fact that Kyoto is a C-word-free area, I probably should say “The West Bank is more dangerous than Kyoto.”

Map of the West Bank – SoWhAt249

Speaking of “area,” the West Bank has three areas: Israeli-controlled Area C (61% of the West Bank, pink on the map above), Israeli and Palestinian-controlled Area B (21%, red on the map), and Palestinian-controlled Area A (18%, green on the map).

Tonight’s destination, Bethlehem, is in Area A, known for its UNESCO World Heritage Site “the Church of the Nativity” also known as “the Birthplace of Jesus.” Bethlehem is the second most popular tourist destination in the West Bank.

Since we were non-Israeli gays, we made it without visas and issues like many other international tourists. We had dinner at locally famous Fawda Restaurant & Cafe and headed to The Walled Off Hotel for a drink.

The Walled Off Hotel, left, the Israeli West Bank barrier, right.

The entrance of The Walled Off Hotel.

Inside The Walled Off Hotel.

Designed by England-based artist Banksy, The Walled Off Hotel is Bethlehem’s most popular hotel on Tripadvisor and also a world-famous tourist attraction in the Middle East. Located next to the Israeli West Bank barrier that is a separation wall built by Israel, The Walled Off Hotel is described as “worst-view-in-the-world.”

Our table at Piano Bar in The Walled Off Hotel.

Piano Bar’s menu.

Palestinian Taybeh beer. 20 Israeli shekel/$5.60.

The Walled Off Hotel’s “Piano Bar” is open for visitors. So we visited. In the museum-like decor that mocked 1917’s British colonial outpost in Palestine, waiters spoke English, the menu was in English, and the price was in Israeli shekel (₪/ILS).

We had a Taybeh beer from Taybeh Brewing Company in the West Bank. It tasted as beer as it could be. ₪20 per bottle is cheaper than an average beer bottle at bars in Israel. With music performed by keen local musicians on stage, everything was sababa.