Becoming Israel’s Tuscany: Gov’t launches ‘Biblical Trail’ initiative to promote West Bank tourism
The NIS 3.2 million tourism project will include an accessible promenade and suspension bridge connecting the Eilon Moreh Heritage Center with the summit of the Mount Kabir Nature Reserve
Assessment
The government is spending NIS 3.2 million on a tourism project in the West Bank that includes a promenade and suspension bridge, explicitly comparing the area to Italy's Tuscany. This is not a neutral infrastructure move. The Biblical Trail initiative ties settlement development directly to state-funded tourism promotion, blurring lines between conservation, religious heritage, and territorial claims. Watch for international reaction and whether this draws legal challenges around construction in occupied territory.