For Suhaib, cycling was never just a sport. He connected it to human and national values that strengthen belonging to Palestine. Among the many initiatives launched under the project was the campaign \u201cIt\u2019s not my trash, but it\u2019s my homeland<\/span><\/b>,<\/span>\u201d which involved visiting different areas across historic Palestine and cleaning them of waste.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would go to these areas in groups on bicycles and encourage people to use them,\u201d he says. The sight of cyclists riding through countryside, cities, and refugee camps inspired many young people to adopt bicycles in their daily lives.<\/p>\n By 7October, 2023 more than 30,000 people from across Palestine, half of them women, had participated in Palestine on Bicycles tours. Over the years, the initiative built a broad network with universities, private companies, and civil society organizations. Suhaib and his fellow cyclists also represented Palestine at the Green Initiatives Conference in Italy, presenting the initiative on an international stage.<\/p>\n Closer to the people\u2026<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n In the early days, Suhaib personally reached out to mayors and village councils to organize tours. Over time, the dynamic shifted. \u201cPeople started calling us,\u201d he says, \u201ctelling us, \u2018Come and see our town.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Residents welcomed the cyclists warmly, opening their homes and fields. \u201cWe became a living example of social initiatives that strengthen human connections, promote physical activity, and encourage environmental awareness,\u201d Suhaib explains.<\/p>\n One of the aspects he is most proud of is the initiative\u2019s commitment to supporting local products and farmers. \u201cIn every town we visited, we made a point of buying cheese, labneh, and agricultural produce. Sometimes we even bought an entire seasonal harvest. It was real, tangible support, especially during the olive harvest and other farming seasons.\u201d<\/p>\n The tours often reached isolated and marginalized areas, including many Bedouin communities. Groups would depart from Ramallah, cycle through villages, participate in activities, and sometimes travel between multiple locations in a single tour. The initiative also provided bicycles for those who did not own one.<\/p>\n Breaking the barriers of occupation<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n Palestine on Bicycles carried powerful human and national messages, most notably the slogan \u201cKnow your homeland.\u201d Alongside it was the slogan \u201cOne people,\u201d which emphasized creating a shared, free space where young people from Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the 1948 areas could meet, cycle together, and dismantle the psychological barriers imposed by the occupation.<\/p>\n Despite its success, the initiative came to a halt after the outbreak of the war on Gaza. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t pretend nothing was happening,\u201d Suhaib says. \u201cWe couldn\u2019t ignore the massacres and starvation in Gaza. That\u2019s not who we are.\u201d<\/p>\n He also points to the severe lack of safety in the West Bank since the war began, noting that organizing tours under such conditions would be extremely dangerous, especially amid escalating settler violence and intimidation campaigns.<\/p>\n They did not give up<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n This pause does not mean surrender. Today, especially after the cessation of the war, Suhaib is working with youth organizations to revive the initiative, resume some tours, and renew people\u2019s connection with their land.<\/p>\n Despite the difficult reality, he is proud that Palestine on Bicycles succeeded in mapping a complete cycling route across the West Bank, from Jenin to Hebron, passing through tourist, religious, and historical sites.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know Palestine\u2019s geography is not easy for bicycles,\u201d he says, \u201cbut we overcame that challenge because we believed in our goal and message: Palestine deserves our effort, and it is our responsibility to protect and preserve it, no matter the obstacles.\u201d<\/p>\n Suhaib, who left his job as a paramedic to fully dedicate himself to this initiative, hopes for nothing more than stability, an end to settler attacks, and the chance for Palestine on Bicycles to flourish once again.<\/p>\n Being a paramedic in Palestine means learning to live with blood, pain, and scenes that harden the heart. It means treating the wounded daily and, at times, transporting the martyrs. After 12 years in this demanding and dangerous profession, it was not surprising that Suhaib Samara decided to step away. He sought refuge in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3695,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[32],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3601","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environmental-stories"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/palstories.ps\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/\u0642\u0635\u0629-\u0635\u0647\u064a\u0628-\u0627\u0646\u0643\u0644\u064a\u0632\u064a-1-240x300.png\")
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