PHOTOS: Palestinian female travel bloggers are promoting local Palestinian tourism

Two Palestinian travel bloggers are promoting local Palestinian tourism in the West Bank as an act of defiance against Israeli occupation. Israel cites security concerns for the checkpoints in a volatile area it calls by its biblical name, Judea and Samaria. Hoping to allay the fears of Palestinians who avoid visiting remote sites, Malak Hasan and Bisan Alhajhasan founded “Ahlan Falasteen” - meaning “Hello Palestine” - a blog and Instagram page offering travel destinations and advice. “The idea of two young female Palestinians who visit places that people feel are too far, or that might be closed, or are scared because of settlers or Israeli soldiers, we go there to show them that we should not abandon those places,” said Alhajhasan, 32.

Updated on: Sep 17, 2020 9:26 PM IST

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Young Palestinian travel bloggers Malak Hasan and Bisan Alhajhasan sit at the remains of an archeological site in the village of Aboud near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 15, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Malak Hasan and Bisan Alhajhasan arrive at the Convent of the Hortus Conclusus in Artas village near Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 9, 2020. (REUTERS)

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Malak Hasan and Bisan Alhajhasan swim in a pool in the village of Aboud near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 15, 2020. (REUTERS)

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The blogger duo posted this image from their visit to Artas to their travel page, Ahlan Palestine, and captioned it, “....Canaanite Artas is reported to be the second oldest populated location after Jericho. It is home to many archeological sites. The name Artas is probably a corruption of Hortus, which has the same meaning as Firdus (Paradise). The name might also be derived from Latin hortus meaning garden. The village is a listed touristic site and its possible destinations include; Solomons’ pools, Convent of Enclosed Garden, Murad castle, Omar Ibn Al Khattab mosque, as well as many more natural springs....” (instagram/ Ahlan palestine)

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Malak Hasan and Bisan Alhajhasan take a selfie at the remains of an archeological site in the village of Aboud near Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 15, 2020. (REUTERS)

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This photo from the blogger duo’s Artas visit was captioned, “For over a 100 years, the village of Artas to the south of Bethlehem has been a home to the Convent of Enclosed Garden, with its unique architecture and old arcs. The village is believed to be the second oldest inhabited location after Jericho.Just below the Convent, the visitor will see a natural spring watering tens of dunums surrounding the Convent, including the garden and the lush gardens.” (INSTAGRAM/ ahlan palestine)