The Palestinian village of Zebuba wedged in the corner of the West Bank opposite the Tanachim line of moshavim in the Jezreel Valley

The Jewish settlement of Shaked (Almond), founded in 1981 and perched atop the Amir mountain range, is a short drive over the Green Line, in an area best described as the top left corner of the West Bank.

From its mountain perch Shaked commands a breathtaking view of the Jezreel Valley. On clear days one can see Nazareth on top of the mountain range opposite the valley, and to the right the pudding-shaped Mt. Tabor, sprawling Arab villages clinging to its lower slopes, a Franciscan church and a monastery which protrude from the mountain's summit against the skyline.

The neighboring mountain to Tabor, Mt. Moreh, overlooks the town of Afula, a large part of which was built on the Jezreel Valley floor, and new neighborhoods climbing up the side of the mountain and known as Afula Elite (Upper Afula). Further along, Mt. Gilboa and the town of Gan Ner – named after Lord Barnett Janner, father of Lord Greville Janner – overlook a score of moshavim spread in a line across the valley below in an area known as the Tanachim. They and a number of Israeli Arab villages sit on one side of the Green Line facing a long line of Palestinian villages. The agricultural fields of the Jewish and Palestinian farmers are worked right up to either side of the Green Line and the electronic security fence which snakes its way across the valley floor. An Israeli army vehicle pulling chains over the sandy track alongside the fence kicks up a cloud of dust in its wake – the dust cloud can be seen for miles around.

The Arab villages either side of the line across the valley (in this area the Green Line and fence are one) are Muslim except for Mukeibeh on the Israeli side, where there is also a small Christian population. Neighboring Mukeibeh in present times is a very large Israeli checkpoint in the security fence known as the Gilboa Checkpoint, sitting indeed in the shadow of the magnificent Gilboa mountain range. Part of it is in Israel and part in the West Bank under the control of the Palestinian Authority in Jenin, an autonomous Palestinian city in which the buildings are highly visible to the people of Afula and the Tanachim area in the corner of the divided valley.

From the vantage point at Shaked on one of the highest peaks of the Amir mountain range one can see and also feel that this part of the valley is in the palm of one’s hand. On another high peak of the same mountain range to the left of Shaked, a string of high-rise buildings stands out starkly against the blue skies. These are the last of the houses of the Wadi Ara Israeli Arab Muslim city of Umm al-Fahm, therefore over the Green Line to Shaked. Between Shaked and the outskirts of Umm al-Fahm there are another two Jewish settlements, Hananit and Tal Menashe. Sandwiched between Hananit and Umm al-Fahm, sitting on a hill protruding from a deep valley between the Jewish settlement and the Israeli Muslim city, is the Palestinian West Bank village of Anin. The security fence wends its separating way between Umm al-Fahm and Anin and it is at this point that the fence leaves the Green Line to go around the Israeli settlements, leaving them still over the Green Line but west of the fence/barrier.

Way down below, dotted over a small range of hills that, from Shaked above, look more like mounds, are half a dozen Palestinian villages that literally hug the Green Line, affording them an excellent view over the main Megiddo to Jenin road. Just a few kilometers in from the heavily trafficked Route 65 at the Megiddo junction and ominous looking British-built Taggart Fort (nowadays an Israeli prison which holds hundreds of Palestinian prisoners), the fence crosses the road and climbs up toward Umm al-Fahm. Just beyond the prison, a small Israeli army base sits on the Green Line at Salem where there is a small checkpoint in the security fence. Each of the small villages has a mosque or two, the minarets of which stand tall and straight, reaching skyward like pointing fingers. At night they all boast bright green lights atop the minarets which can be seen by the Israelis. Five times a day the calls from the mosques echo throughout the surrounding hills reaching up to Shaked and the neighboring Jewish settlements with a more than quadro sound effect.

From Shaked it is also possible to see the Gilead mountain range in the not too far distance. That mountain range runs along the east bank of the River Jordan and part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.

There are over a dozen Palestinian villages of varying sizes surrounding the settlements of Shaked, Hananit and Tal Menashe, and on the other side of that circle in the direction of the coastline and the Mediterranean, the fourth Jewish settlement in the area, Reichan. The latter settlement is tucked in behind the extensive natural forest and nature reserve of the same name and commands a magnificent view deep into the West Bank.  At the same time, a slight turn of the head and one is looking across the somewhat narrow, flat central State of Israel and out to sea.

On a lower hill between the settlements of Shaked and Hananit an industrial park provides employment for hundreds of workers. Although originally intended to provide work places for the Jewish settlers in the area, the Shahak industrial park also employs a large number of Palestinians from West Bank villages situated on the other side of the security fence who pass through a nearby checkpoint to and from work every day.There are also Israeli Arabs from the Wadi Ara region and Jewish workers from the Israeli town of Pardes Hanna-Karkur. Founded in the late 1990s, the Shahak industrial park continues to develop. One of the first factories manufactured carpetsand since then scores more have opened for business including an enormous concern which recycles tires and another on the Shakak site which belongs to the German Christian Zionist, Kibbutz Beth-El based in Zichron Yaacov where they also have extensive factory premises and business interests.

Of the four Jewish settlements in the area only Tal Menashe is a religious community although there are some religious families living in the other predominantly secular settlements. The children of Tal Menashe do not attend the area’s secular Omer junior and high schools, but are bussed to religious schools out of the area. However, children living in the two remaining Jewish settlements over the other side of the security fence – Mevo Dotan and Hermesh, situated in the Dotan Valley a 15 minute drive away – attend the Omer school. They make the short journey to school in a bullet-proof yellow bus owned by the West Bank Binyamin Regional Council that also passes through the Reichan checkpoint of an afternoon when school is out and the kids are taken home.

Prior to the 2005 disengagement from Gaza pupils came to the Omer school from four other West Bank settlements, Ganim, Kadim, Sanur and Homesh – all of which were evacuated and destroyed at the same time as the 2005 withdrawal from Gaza. Most of the families from those four settlements moved back over the Green Line and the number of pupils at the school dropped drastically as a result.

With beautiful landscapes, unbelievable views and impressive historical content to share with visitors, locals are attempting to attract tourism.

A cycling route has been developed and hiking paths mapped out. A biblical park has been established at Tal Menashe, but there seems to be little demand from tourists to cross the line.


The Palestinian farmer tending his olive orchard and tobacco field, helped by three children

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About the author

Lydia Aisenberg

Lydia Aisenberg is a journalist, informal educator and special study tour guide. Born in 1946, Lydia is originally from South Wales, Britain and came to live in Israel in 1967 and has been a member...
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