Africa-Press. Palestinians from Jerusalem have succeeded in raising the Palestinian flag on Uhuru Peak, the highest point of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, at 6:20 a.m. on Wednesday, Jerusalem time.
The flag was hoisted at an altitude of 5,895 meters above sea level following a six-day expedition involving eight Palestinian hikers, seven of whom are from Jerusalem.
Among the participants was Jerusalem-based hiker Ramzi Al-Abbassi, who told Al Jazeera Net that mountain peaks attract many people with a natural inclination toward adventure. He explained that Palestinian hikers have taken it upon themselves to climb summits to tell the world that they exist and have a presence on the global map.
“This is the tenth time we have climbed a mountain. During these adventures, we meet explorers from different countries. We see this as an opportunity to connect with people from around the world, to share our stories and hear theirs,” he said.
Widespread solidarity
Al-Abbassi confirmed that the team encountered many supporters of the Palestinian cause during the journey. The Palestinian hikers’ camp attracted solidarity activists after they named it “Palestine Camp” and consistently raised the Palestinian flag above their tents during rest periods.
He added, “Camping gave us an opportunity to build connections with people who support us. We met Dutch supporters of our cause and hosted them for a full night at our camp. They asked us many questions about the situation in Palestine. We also met supporters from Morocco, Pakistan, Germany, Tanzania, and South Africa.”
He also noted encounters with individuals from the occupying state, saying, “We refused to engage with them or even greet them, despite repeated attempts to provoke us and talk to us because we were carrying the Palestinian flag. They also tried to take photos with us upon reaching the summit and during the raising of the flag, which we firmly rejected.”
An indescribable feeling
Describing the moment of reaching Uhuru Peak—whose name means “freedom” in Tanzanian Swahili—Ramzi Al-Abbassi said the team’s feelings upon reaching one of the world’s highest summits were impossible to describe.
“For us, personal achievement is secondary. Our greatest accomplishment was our ability to persevere and reach the summit to raise the Palestinian flag and send a clear message to the world: we exist,” he said.
Asked about the main obstacles faced during the expedition, Al-Abbassi said the only significant challenge was traveling through Ben Gurion Airport in Lod, where they were treated as “terrorists” and allowed to board the plane with only their mobile phones and travel documents.
“We were searched for four hours, moved from one office to another and from room to room. After that ordeal, we flew from Lod to Ethiopia and then to Tanzania, without facing any notable difficulties afterward,” he explained.
Previous experiences
Al-Abbassi concluded by noting that this expedition marked the tenth climbing experience of the “Palestine Hikers” team, following three ascents of Mount Ararat, Turkey’s highest peak at 5,165 meters.
The team also reached Everest Base Camp in Nepal twice (5,364 meters), climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice, ascended Mount Elbrus in the western Caucasus in Russia (5,642 meters), and climbed Mount Toubkal in Morocco (4,167 meters). The team reached Uhuru Peak in Tanzania for the first time during this expedition.
Founded in 2017, the “Palestine Hikers” team has 300 active members, 90% of whom are from Jerusalem. In addition to climbing peaks around the world, the group organizes tours to Palestinian villages depopulated during the 1948 Nakba to explore and document them under the slogan, “We walk on land that we own.”
