Just this past fall, I was in Israel for almost two weeks around my college Thanksgiving break, visiting the sites and enjoying the people and foods. While I was there, I stayed in Jerusalem for a good portion of the trip, and it just so happened to be at the same time that American President Bush was holding the much-anticipated Peace Summit at Annapolis.

Many Middle East leaders and politicians were invited to attend this summit, with the Israel conflict being the main focus and objective. While in Jerusalem, I could feel the mood shift as the summit approached. The quiet streets began to fill with people and protesters became more visible. There was an evident increase in the presence of the Israeli armed forces, as I saw young adults in green uniforms on every street corner.

Despite the heightened tension, the safety of the city remained. While walking through the streets during the evenings, it was much safer than walking through any major U.S. city, and the police force presence, although at first a little unnerving, eventually became very natural and reassuring.