Walking in Palestine

By Emile Ashrawi

“When I began hill walking in Palestine a quarter of a century ago, I was not aware that I was travelling through a vanishing landscape. For centuries the central highland hills of Palestine, which slope on one side towards the sea and on the other towards the desert, had remained relatively unchanged. As I grew up in Ramallah, the land from my city to the northern city of Nablus might, with a small stretch of the imagination, have seemed familiar to a contemporary of Christ, Those hills were, I believe, one of the natural treasures of the world.” – Raja Shehadeh, from his Orwell Prize-winning Palestinian Walks: Notes on a Vanishing Landscape.

30 Marc 2007, on the way to Jericho from Wadi Qilt

23 Nov 2007 – ditto –

7 Jan 2007, on the way to Wadi Qilt (judean hills)

23 Mar 2007 on the way to al-Bardaweel fortress, north of Ramallah

23 Mar 2007 the village of Silwad - north east of Ramallah, as seen from al – Bardaweel fortress

13 Feb 09 the view as seen from the walk between the village of Burham and Jeebya – West of Ramallah

1 June 2007 between the village of Deir Ghassaneh and the village of Brouqeen

13 Feb 2009, from the village of Burham to the village of Jeebya

13 Feb 2009 , from the village of Burham to the village of Jeebya, (north west of ramallah)

22 June 2007 , the way from the village of Dura al Qare’ to the village of ‘Ein Sinya, north of Ramallah

13 Mar 2009 on the way to Wadi Qilt , in the Judean hills (Jordan valley)

– ditto –

Emile Ashrawi was born in Jerusalem in 1951. He is a husband, father, grandfather and retired. He is interested in photography, music and theatre. Many thanks to him, to Raja Shehadeh and to Judy Price.