Palestine's unique stretchy ice cream [video]
bbc.com
bbc.com
Mastic is a resin obtained from the mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus). In pharmacies and nature shops, it is called "Arabic gum" (not to be confused with gum arabic) and "Yemen gum". In Greece, it is known as the "tears of Chios," being traditionally produced on that Greek island, and, like other natural resins, is produced in "tears" or droplets.
Originally a sap, mastic is sun-dried into pieces of brittle, translucent resin. When chewed, the resin softens and becomes a bright white and opaque gum. The flavor is bitter at first, but after some chewing, it releases a refreshing, slightly pine or cedar-like flavor.
[1]: (Turkish) http://www.nisanyansozluk.com/?k=mastika&lnk=1
[2]: https://ozlemsturkishtable.com/2012/09/milk-pudding-with-mas...
It was worth it for the experience but I prefer normal ice cream better. The texture is ... unusual.
https://www.google.de/search?q=mara%C5%9F+dondurmas%C4%B1&tb...
It is of middle-east origin, as far as I can tell. It also comes with its traditional show, as you can see in the videos.
I suppose it's also all a matter of the point that the media are trying to make with the article... A travel article is going to highlight the cool parts, while an article on the horrors of war is going to focus on the disasters.
Ramallah is actually a pretty developed and secular city in the west bank.
KFC is hugely popular in the Arab world in general but fried chicken never really became popular in Israel with or without buttermilk.
Starbucks also failed in Israel since apparently the locals being used to actual coffee didn't not accept what they sold as coffee while "high-end" Israeli coffee chains like Aroma Coffee became hugely successful in Israel and expanded abroad.
Human rights activists, lawyers, etc, who oppose the occupation are welcomed into the West Bank. I've experienced that first hand.
The violence comes from the occupation forces - settlers, army, blockades, economic and politican control...
I've been told by so many fellow Israelis this myth about 'taking the wrong turn' in the West Bank, and, frankly it's a myth that hides the real problem, which is the occupation.
I had a similar icecream in Istanbul, and it was delicious. Thank to the OP for sharing.
And assigning violence to the occupation is simply naive considering the past 150 years, when the west bank was under Jordanian control there was still plenty of violence, before the formation of Israel there was plenty of violence and pogroms in the area even before the end of WWI and the British Mandate like those during the multiple Arab revolts under Turkish rule.
You mean Ottoman. Ottomans are usually considered Turkish but Turks weren't even the biggest group that lived under the Ottoman rule.
So, you're not actually a local, but you think that you know better about what's a myth and what's not? I shouldn't be surprised.