PilgrimageME2012 webBetween 8th and 29th November 2012, eighty people, including Palestinians, Israelis and internationals, will walk from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, traversing the Jordan Valley, with the intention of exploring “a sustainable model of living among humans and nature.”

The pilgrimage is organised by the Peace Research Village Middle East, an initiative to “support a positive global transition through the development of research centres and sustainable models of community in crisis areas.” In the Jordan Valley, the group will have a number of different stops, including the Palestinian villages of Bardala, Al Auja and An Nabi Musa, the refugee camp An Nuwei’ma as well as an olive orchard on land confiscated by settlers in Rotem, the ‘nature reserve’ Um Zuka, Bidat al-Sha’ab near Argaman colony and one night will be spent inside Na’ama colony.  

In response to the pilgrimage, the Jordan Valley Solidarity Campaign states:

“We welcome every step for peace and we appreciate all those who are supporting peace. But it would be a shame to support any step that does not have a just outlook on the situation in the Jordan Valley – if the walkers close one eye and see only a partial truth. 

“We value all those working to bring people together but we cannot accept when this involves double standards. While the Israeli and international walkers in the group will be able to walk wherever they want and to cross all the checkpoints, terminals, borders and gates, the Palestinians, who would love to share the entirety of this journey, will not be able to do so. While it will be beneficial for Israelis and Internationals to spend time with Palestinian communities along their route, they will not be able to fully appreciate the feelings of the Palestinian people who will receive them at the end of a day’s walk. These families will know that in the morning those on the pilgrimage will walk on and sleep in the colonies that have confiscated their land the following night. While the walkers will carry bags and have bottled water, they have to understand that they will visit Palestinian families who have lost their houses only recently at the hands of the Israeli bulldozers. 

“’Time for Peace’ will be a different and unique time for those who will walk through the Jordan Valley, but the trip is being coordinating with the Israel’s apartheid Civil Military Authority in the illegally Occupied Territories. We want them to know that all the Palestinian Bedouin communities who live in Area C are living in an area that the Israeli Occupation Force has designated as a military training area, and the area will only be safe temporarily when the pilgrimage walkers are there. 

“We are not going to argue with companies about how they are going to profit by collecting money. However, if we see a big, lavish address and introduction, with pictures depicting ‘peace’, this seems like an attempt to steal the Palestinian dream of peace, justice and freedom – and this is the last thing that the occupation will steal from the Palestinians.”