Our journey began in Wadi al-Sarar in 2021, where we spent significant time in Wadi Beit Hanina—the valley’s source—and along a small section of its extension toward the Mediterranean Sea. During the COVID-19 pandemic, as movement restrictions were imposed, the valley became our refuge and a space for exploration. We spent long hours there, speaking with others who, like us, sought open air and respite. Through these encounters, we documented conversations and reflections on the valley’s rapid transformations—shaped by Israeli settlements, marginalization, and infrastructural interventions such as roads, bridges, and large-scale residential projects.
In 2023, we chose to continue walking the valley’s path beyond Beit Hanina, tracing its role as a corridor linking the mountains to the sea, trees to stones, water to its wells, and villages to one another. That spring, we extended our journey westward through Lifta, Beit Iksa, Qalunya, and Ein Karem. These walks carried a deep sense of loss—the valley severed from its displaced people—yet also revealed its enduring ability to connect us to these places. Along the way, we uncovered traces of Palestinian presence and resilience after displacement, preserved in the valley’s rocks, rooted in its plants, transported by its animals, and carried by its waters to unknown destinations. The valley continues to move us forward, urging us to search for its hidden narratives among those who lived with it for generations before being forcibly removed in the 1948 Nakba.
This project entails a publication that brings together is a collection of diaries that document our paths, observations, and questions about the valley’s present reality and uncertain future, tracing our walks from 2021 to 2024.
Launch Event at Khazaen, Jerusalem, with community members who accompanied us through the project.
