Activists and tourists walk from Hebron to the outskirts of Jerusalem
The “Palestine Heritage Path” protects Battir from displacement and settlement
Foreign activists participate in the tours of the Palestine Heritage Path.
Emirates today
George Rechmawi: “Thanks to the tours of the Palestine Heritage Trail, local and foreign hikers are able to witness the nature of the country.”
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Among forest trees overlooking vast forests right and left, and through winding roads up and down, and next to fertile plains, and fresh water valleys, springing from among the rocks and mountains, groups of Palestinian activists and foreign tourists walk a distance of (60) kilometers from the far south of the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank. , to the town of Battir in the western countryside of Bethlehem, located 8 kilometers from the holy city of Jerusalem.
As soon as activists and tourists arrive in the town of Battir, the sound of gurgling water is heard coming from fresh springs within mountainous rocky assemblies, called “Ain al-Balad”, located in the center of Battir, where it erupts from the mountains heading down to pour into a submerged pool inside a cave, part of which is It was built in the rock, and the other part was built by the townspeople in the past, to drain the water channels into the paths of the agricultural terraces, which date back to two thousand years.
For hours on end, dozens of activists and tourists move between mountains and valleys, agricultural terraces and fresh water canals, and historical and archaeological sites and monuments, defying all forms of suffering they face due to Israeli restrictions through barriers, the borders of settlements that swallow up Palestinian lands, as well as the gates of the apartheid wall.
Palestinian track
Moving between the pillars of the Canaanite civilization in Battir comes within the framework of the “Palestine Heritage Path”, which is supervised by Palestinian activists in the West Bank, to confront plans and settlement projects in Battir, the villages and towns of the West Bank and the Holy City of Jerusalem, and to preserve archaeological monuments and historical sites. of looting and settlement.
Director of the "Palestine Heritage Trail" George Rechmawi told "Emirates Today", in an exclusive interview, "The path includes introducing the culture of Palestinian society, environmental and natural diversity, as well as conveying the repercussions of occupation and settlement practices on the land and population."
He added: "Thanks to the tours of the Palestine Heritage Trail, local and foreign hikers will be able to witness the nature of the country, archaeological and environmental sites closely, where locals learn about the natural and aesthetic scenes and places, and foreign tourists learn about historical archaeological sites, and the reality of the Palestinians under occupation."
According to Rechmawi, the heritage path starts from the town of Surif, far south of Hebron, and passes through 17 Palestinian towns and communities in Palestinian cities, all the way to the town of Battir, west of Bethlehem.
Non-stop tours
Walking tours between the scenic nature and historical civilization in ancient Battir continue after taking a break and hosting traditional West Bank food, inside many Palestinian homes rooted in the place.
Activists and groups of tourists return to move again, between pomegranate trees, olive trees, and vineyards, to Wadi Al-Makhrour, which extends from the town of Beit Jala in Bethlehem to Battir, which is a tourist destination, as it abounds with natural scenes from fresh water springs, and caves. And the mountains. To the north, it overlooks a valley that was passed by the first railway in the town, which witnessed the first train journey in the year 1895, in addition to embracing agricultural terraces, planted with apricot trees.
“I will tell you the story of Palestine, to make you yearn for my country, and see you repeat its visit.” Before moving on to the walking path, the community tour guide on the “Palestine Heritage Trail”, Ayat Dardoun, addresses a group of foreign and Palestinian tourists and activists.
Tourist guide Dardon is a resident of Dura town in the city of Hebron.
Dardoun says: “We absolutely believe in the necessity of preserving the Palestinian identity of all Palestinian towns and villages in various regions of the West Bank and the Holy City of Jerusalem. In order to revive our historical heritage, we document tangible and intangible heritage within walking tours of the (Palestine Heritage Trail), with the participation of groups of activists and tourists.”
She added, "As part of the walking path tours, we encourage the local economy of the residents of Palestinian villages and towns, as they visit factories and handicrafts, including soap shops, in areas famous for their manufacture, most notably the cities of Hebron and Nablus."
The community tourism activist indicates that tourists and activists travel within the heritage path tours between historical archaeological sites, such as the Al-Mawraq Palace, which dates back to the Roman era, and the tourist groups visit Palestinian homes located within the path of the path, where their owners host them to eat traditional meals, such as Maqluba and Musakhan. According to the tour guide Dardon.
Battir, which has a built-up area of 420 dunums, and despite being surrounded by bypass streets and settlement sites that distort its picturesque nature and archaeological landmarks, has triumphed over the occupation practices, by confiscating its lands and displacing its residents, thanks to the recognition by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) of its natural heritage. and humanity, and inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2014.
After that, Battir, inhabited by 7,000 people, came back to achieve a joyful victory for Palestine and its cities, by registering the first Palestinian tourist route, registered on the list of global tourism, thus attracting attention to it again, to host thousands of foreign and Palestinian tourists in the arms of its picturesque nature , water and agricultural archaeological terraces.
The movement between the pillars of the Canaanite civilization in Battir comes within the framework of the “Palestine Heritage Trail”, which is supervised by Palestinian activists in the West Bank, to confront plans and settlement projects in the town, villages and towns of the West Bank, and the Holy City of Jerusalem, with the aim of preserving monuments and sites Historic looting and settlement.
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