Flying high: Palestinians reach Everest base camp

A group of Palestinians has reached the base camp of Mount Everest, flying the Palestinian flag in celebration.

Twenty-seven Palestinians reached the base camp of Mount Everest – located in the Himalayas between Nepal and Tibet – on Wednesday, having hiked for six days and hundreds of kilometres.

The trek was organised by Climb for Palestine which, in its own words, “aims to raise funds for charities in Palestine [by] arranging and participating in activities and events […] such as hiking, rock climbing and mountaineering.” Writing on its Facebook page after reaching base camp, the organisation said:

Twenty seven of us have succeeded in reaching Mount Everest base at a height of 5,400 meters above sea level. We raised the flag of Palestine and the slogans of solidarity with the prisoners and Jerusalem as the simplest [thing] we can offer to our Palestinian cause.

The organisation also posted a photo of the triumphant team, holding several Palestinian flags and visibly elated.

Throughout the week the organisation posted images of the trek on its Facebook page, hailing the “breath-taking view” of “forests and ancient temples” that they saw on route.

This is not the first fundraising activity that Climb for Palestine has organised. Earlier this year several group members took part in the Palestine Marathon in the occupied West Bank, while last year they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, again raising the Palestinian flag at the summit.

READ: ‘Cycling is a form of resistance’ in the occupied West Bank’