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| First Bethlehem marathon staged in howling wind and rain | First Bethlehem marathon staged in howling wind and rain |
| (4 months later) | |
| If Bethlehem's vertiginous hills weren't enough of a challenge, hundreds of athletes braved sheets of rain and whipping winds to compete in the West Bank's first ever marathon on Sunday. | If Bethlehem's vertiginous hills weren't enough of a challenge, hundreds of athletes braved sheets of rain and whipping winds to compete in the West Bank's first ever marathon on Sunday. |
| At 8am, more than 500 runners gathered at the starting line outside the Church of the Nativity, built on what is believed to be the site of Jesus's birth. Foreign diplomats and international journalists joined a sizeable majority of local Palestinian competitors who were braving the unseasonal chill, some wearing T-shirts commemorating the victims of the Boston marathon bombing, others wearing clothing branded with the event's slogan: "Right to Movement." | At 8am, more than 500 runners gathered at the starting line outside the Church of the Nativity, built on what is believed to be the site of Jesus's birth. Foreign diplomats and international journalists joined a sizeable majority of local Palestinian competitors who were braving the unseasonal chill, some wearing T-shirts commemorating the victims of the Boston marathon bombing, others wearing clothing branded with the event's slogan: "Right to Movement." |
| A Palestinian city encircled by Israeli settlements, bypass roads connecting the settlements and checkpoints, Bethlehem cannot offer an uninterrupted 42.2km full marathon course. The 26 competitors who ran the full race were required to make two circuits of the city along a course that passed through two refugee camps, alongside the Israeli separation wall, turned back on itself at a checkpoint and finished back at the Church of the Nativity. | A Palestinian city encircled by Israeli settlements, bypass roads connecting the settlements and checkpoints, Bethlehem cannot offer an uninterrupted 42.2km full marathon course. The 26 competitors who ran the full race were required to make two circuits of the city along a course that passed through two refugee camps, alongside the Israeli separation wall, turned back on itself at a checkpoint and finished back at the Church of the Nativity. |
| "In any other country, a marathon runs from point A to point B. In the West Bank, we have to run from point A to point A. It's around 40km from Bethlehem to Hebron but runners would have to cross the Israeli settler roads, and that could never happen," said Xavier Abu Eid, a Palestinian government spokesperson and native Bethlehemite. | "In any other country, a marathon runs from point A to point B. In the West Bank, we have to run from point A to point A. It's around 40km from Bethlehem to Hebron but runners would have to cross the Israeli settler roads, and that could never happen," said Xavier Abu Eid, a Palestinian government spokesperson and native Bethlehemite. |
| Komal Adris, a 34 year-old parliamentary assistant from Stratford, east London, was among a small group that flew in from the UK to take part and raise money for Palestinian schools. For Adris, who admits she never runs in London, the race was an act of solidarity. | Komal Adris, a 34 year-old parliamentary assistant from Stratford, east London, was among a small group that flew in from the UK to take part and raise money for Palestinian schools. For Adris, who admits she never runs in London, the race was an act of solidarity. |
| "London is great but this is different. Bethlehem has the historical and current political significance. It was also amazing to run alongside so many Palestinian women in hjiabs," said Adris, who had hoped to run in the Gaza marathon, which was cancelled last month following Hamas' refusal to let women compete. | "London is great but this is different. Bethlehem has the historical and current political significance. It was also amazing to run alongside so many Palestinian women in hjiabs," said Adris, who had hoped to run in the Gaza marathon, which was cancelled last month following Hamas' refusal to let women compete. |
| "No amount of bad weather could dampen our spirits. Yes we came across the [Separation] Wall and were very aware of the political situation, but everyone was in such high spirits. I expect a lot more people will come to run next year." | "No amount of bad weather could dampen our spirits. Yes we came across the [Separation] Wall and were very aware of the political situation, but everyone was in such high spirits. I expect a lot more people will come to run next year." |
| A star Palestinian athlete from Jericho, Abdel Nasser Awajme, won a comfortable victory, completing the 42km course in three hours and nine minutes. His local rival, Olympian Nadar al-Masri, was among 26 Palestinian athletes unable to compete in Sunday's event because Israeli authorities refused to let them enter the West Bank from Gaza. | A star Palestinian athlete from Jericho, Abdel Nasser Awajme, won a comfortable victory, completing the 42km course in three hours and nine minutes. His local rival, Olympian Nadar al-Masri, was among 26 Palestinian athletes unable to compete in Sunday's event because Israeli authorities refused to let them enter the West Bank from Gaza. |
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