Telford policeman's tales of life on the Palestinian beat

A top Shropshire policeman who beat off competition from officers across Europe to become a police advisor in Palestine has spoken of the reality faced by people living near the West Bank.

Chief Inspector Andy Udall, who was in charge of local policing in Telford, is representing EU Police Forces advising the Palestinian Civil Police (PCP) on command and control matters.

Mr Udall has begun to write a blog about his experiences which he says are slightly different from home.

• To read Mr Udall's blog, click here

"It's a world away from local policing in Telford that's for certain," said Mr Udall.

"Jerusalem is like many other modern continental cities with its heart being the Old Town. What is immediately apparent is the difference in the Old Town between the various religious and cultural sectors.

"My first day's work and drive into the West Bank brought life here into immediate reality and provided an intense awareness of life under occupation.

"We drove by miles of separation wall. It has the height of a two-storey building complete with watch towers and bordered by a no-man's land containing rolls of tangled razor wire. It separates the Palestinian territories from Israel.

"The wall is interspersed with a large number of checkpoints through which everyone seeking entry into the West Bank has to travel.

"The Palestinian workers travelling daily by foot into Israel have to wait in what can only be described as cattle pens, whilst each person is checked."