Israel approves hiking trail through West Bank, Golan Heights

The Israeli government on Sunday approved the construction of a hiking trail that passes through large areas of the occupied territories in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Syrian Golan Heights, Israeli Walla news site reported.

The project was proposed by Israeli Tourism Minister, Yariv Levin.

“The new route will pass through the Old City of Jerusalem or Shilo [north of the occupied West Bank], places full of Jewish history,” Levin was quoted as saying.

“The route will attract tourists to Israel, as in many countries with long hiking trails which have been able to benefit from their natural resources,” he added.

The minister noted that the government intends to inaugurate the new trail next year during celebrations to mark 70 years since Israel was formed on Palestinian land.

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The Israeli government will allocate about 10 million shekels ($3 million) to construct the trail.

The Israeli government has been seeking for years to attract foreign tourists to the occupied West Bank by seizing Arab and Islamic sites and promoting them as Jewish.

Israel occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, and 1,200 square kilometres of the Syrian Golan Heights during the Six Day War in June 1967.