The simple word “Palestine” often leads to an avalanche of violent clichés: political conflicts, war, blood. But beyond shock images and hot news, the West Bank has real wealth. Land of myth and history, cradle of civilizations, it concentrates undeniable cultural and religious treasures, such as the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem.

To promote local development and create links between the various communities on the spot, three Franco-Palestinian partners (Tetraktys, AFRAT, and Masar Ibrahim al Khalil), launched the tourism project ‘The Trail of Abraham’. This 125 km route covers landscapes that are still little known and ignored by visitors.

Reporters walked the trail
Accompanied by Tetraktys, three reporters accepted the challenge and walked part of the way for ten days in June. The objective was to perceive the impact of this tourism project on local populations. They did not just walk, they also met. In the evening, each of them lodged alone with an inhabitant. The various points of view of the journalists helped to nourish the work. One produced a photo documentary accompanied by written insights on the social issues of the Palestinians. Another, meanwhile, captured series of intimate portraits. Their reports can be viewed here.

“We were totally free”
Tetraktys gave special importance to their freedom of expression: “The idea was that the three journalists could come on site with a fresh look at the project and make their own points of view,” says Ivan Bouchez, mission manager of the CSO. “We were totally free,” says Patrice Texier, one of the journalists. “The goal is not to talk about the organization or the project itself but about the theme, its context and all the issues that surround it”.

Beneficial for both
Maja Daniels, another journalist, adds: “The work would of course have been possible without the NGO, but it would have taken much more time and in the end, we would have had to resort to intermediaries and interpreters”. In the end, the experience was successful for both parties. The journalists were able to immerse themselves in the field quickly with direct access to various sources. Tetraktys, for its part, has benefited from a fresh, new and critical view of its field of intervention.

Source: RESACOOP, Rhône-Alpes DevReporter