- Title: WEST BANK: Tourists visit Hebron to learn more about Palestinian life
- Date: 22nd January 2014
- Summary: HEBRON, WEST BANK (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF OLD CITY ISRAELI SOLDIER AT WATCH POINT TOURISTS WALKING THROUGH ISRAELI SECURITY GATE VARIOUS OF ISRAELI SOLDIERS CHECKING TOURIST'S DOCUMENTATION GRAFFITI READING (English): "WELCOME TO PALESTINE" TOURISTS IN THE OLD CITY TOURISTS WALKING THROUGH OLD CITY MARKET TOURIST TAKING PHOTOGRAPH TOURISTS ENTERING HOME OF LOCAL WOMAN TO HAVE LUNCH OLD BUILDING TOUR GUIDE, LINA AL HAMURI, PUTTING PALESTINIAN TRADITIONAL DISH ON TABLE TOURIST TAKING PHOTO OF FOOD TRADITIONAL DISH ON TABLE VARIOUS OF TOURISTS FILLING THEIR PLATES WITH FOOD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TOUR GUIDE, LINA AL HAMURI, SAYING: "These tourists are from many countries around the world, they send us e-mails, or via Facebook they contact us, and in co-ordination with an office in Jerusalem they come to Hebron city and we arrange a tour of Hebron for them." TOURISTS HAVING LUNCH (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) WOMAN WHO COOKS FOR TOUR GROUPS, JAMILA SHALALDEH, SAYING: "We show the world how we are living, and we live under siege but we can rise. And with all of the obstacles where we live these tours support our resistance." VARIOUS OF HAMURI EXPLAINING TO TOURISTS ABOUT SITE TOURISTS NEAR AL-IBRAHIMI MOSQUE AND THE TOMB OF THE PATRIARCHS MINARET OF MOSQUE VARIOUS OF HAMURI EXPLAINING ABOUT MOSQUE AND THE TOMB OF THE PATRIARCHS TOURIST LOOKING IN HOLY CAVE TOUR GROUP WALKING IN ALLEYWAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM AUSTRALIA, JULIA CRANDELL, SAYING: "It is like lots of young travellers these days do want to see more of like, get involved with what's happening and meet the locals. Actually, like learn about people's stories, not just like: 'I'll come and I'll take a photo of this temple and I'll leave'." TOUR GROUP WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM GERMANY, PAULA VON BORRIES, SAYING: "There are not a lot of tourists, it's very different to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv or other cities. But for me it is important to come here to visit this place to see, I mean the conflict is very present here and yeah, I just wanted to visit and it's interesting." VARIOUS OF TOURISTS TASTING AND BUYING LOCAL SWEETS SWEETS ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) DIRECTOR OF ONLINE INITIATIVE THAT ARRANGES TOURS IN HEBRON, TAREK AL TAMIMI, SAYING: "Visit Hebron has received, in the previous period, more than 1004 groups from many countries as well as Palestinians in the Diaspora and locals. The total number of people was around 7420." OLD CITY
- Embargoed: 6th February 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: West bank
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Politics,Travel / Tourism
- Reuters ID: LVA6DZV3HSQNWLCKZQP4W41VON1Y
- Story Text: Hebron may be better known as a flashpoint for violence rather than a tourist hotspot, but this isn't stopping curious visitors from around the world heading to the ancient West Bank city.
Dotted with Jewish settlements and divided into zones of Israeli and Palestinian control, Hebron is a microcosm of the occupied West Bank, where Palestinians have self-rule over islands of territory surrounded by areas of Israeli control. Settlers live amongst the Palestinians in the city, protected by Israeli military patrols and checkpoints.
It is one of the most volatile spots in the West Bank with frequent friction between settlers and Palestinian residents.
But despite Hebron's reputation for violence, Palestinian authorities and locals want to share the city's ancient sites with a wider audience and, since 2010, have launched initiatives to attract visitors.
The move has paid off, with many tourists prepared to make their way through the Israeli checkpoints to learn more about the Palestinian way of life.
Lina Al Hamuri is a tour guide from the 'Visit Hebron' initiative, which was started by a group of young locals, keen to help people visit the city.
"These tourists are from many countries around the world, they send us e-mails, or via Facebook they contact us, and in co-ordination with an office in Jerusalem they come to Hebron city and we arrange a tour of Hebron for them," she said, as she introduced a group of visitors to traditional Palestinian food.
Jamila Shalaldeh lives in the Old City and she earns a living from cooking meals for tour groups.
"We show the world how we are living, and we live under siege but we can rise. And with all of the obstacles where we live these tours support our resistance," she said.
As well as visiting ancient markets and the city's covered alleyways, tourists are taken to some of the city's many historical sites including The Tomb of the Patriarchs, which Muslims call al-Ibrahimi mosque. It is sacred to Jews and Muslims as the traditional burial place of biblical figures Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Sarah, Rebecca and Leah.
Australian tourist Julia Crandell says the tours cater for those seeking more from their travels than a quick photo opportunity.
"It is like lots of young travellers these days do want to see more of like, get involved with what's happening and meet the locals. Actually, like learn about people's stories, not just like: 'I'll come and I'll take a photo of this temple and I'll leave'," she said.
German tourist Paula von Borries says she enjoys seeing the differences between Hebron and other cities in the region.
"There are not a lot of tourists, it's very different to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv or other cities. But for me it is important to come here to visit this place to see, I mean the conflict is very present here and yeah, I just wanted to visit and it's interesting," she said.
The figures show that initiatives such as Visit Hebron are working.
"Visit Hebron has received, in the previous period, more than 1004 groups from many countries as well as Palestinians in the Diaspora and locals. The total number of people was around 7420," said director Tarek Al Tamimi.
Official Palestinian tourism statistics show that visitor numbers to Hebron are growing, with around 480,000 tourists in 2013.
Palestinian authorities are planning to officially nominate the city as a UNESCO world heritage site. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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