Israel launches Biblical Routes in the West Bank — Jerusalem Post
In Israel, the cornerstone was laid for the new “Joshua’s Way” route near Elon Moreh in the West Bank. The ceremony marked the first stage of the government’s “Biblical Routes” initiative to develop tourism in the region, The Jerusalem Post reports.
Promenade and suspension bridge
The project costs 3.2 million new Israeli shekels. It provides for an accessible promenade and a suspension bridge that will connect the Elon Moreh Heritage Center with the summit of the Mount Kabir nature reserve.
In the Book of Genesis, the Elon Moreh area is mentioned as the place where Abraham received God’s promise that the Land of Israel would be given to his descendants. Tourism Minister Haim Katz, Heritage Minister Amichai Eliyahu, Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan, and Tourism Ministry Director General Michael Izhakov took part in the ceremony.
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The project is being jointly implemented by the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Heritage, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Samaria Regional Council, the Judea and Samaria Regional Cluster, and the Elon Moreh Heritage Center. Katz said that developing routes and making tourist sites accessible should attract visitors to the region and promote its development. He also compared Samaria to Tuscany, mentioning the local landscapes, vineyards, wineries, history, and heritage.
Funding for tourism infrastructure
According to the publication, in August the steering committee approved the allocation of 113 million shekels for the development of more than 70 heritage sites in the West Bank under an initiative proposed by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The funds are to be used for monument preservation, making sites accessible to visitors, salvage excavations, and infrastructure development.
In July, the government also approved approximately 27 million shekels for hotel development and construction in the region. To implement this decision, the government is expected to allocate 7 million shekels from the current Ministry of Tourism budget in equal amounts in 2026–2030.
