High above the narrow pavements of medieval Jerusalem, Palestinians exploded teenagers over bleached roofs and captured the light and space denied them during the six-week COVID-19 lockout.
A small handful living in the Old Town were able to use their movements long before the spice merchants below opened their doors.
A Palestinian teenager jumps with his skateboard on a rooftop as the Dome of the Rock can be seen in the background in Jerusalem’s Old Town
(Photo: Reuters)
Two dozen friends from elsewhere in East Jerusalem joined them after unleashing the opportunity.
“During coronavirus (lock down) we were unable to go out and skate or do anything,” said Baha’Shweiki, 17, from al-Turi neighborhood. “We’ve been waiting every day for the chance to get out.”
Palestinian youths hold their skateboards while standing on a rooftop in Jerusalem’s Old Town
(Photo: Reuters)
With very few training facilities and very little space in East Jerusalem, most learn their skills from YouTube.
But the roofs are rugged and often plunge over ventilation showers and crack.
Palestinian youth skateboards at a skate park in Jerusalem
(Photo: Reuters)
So sometimes the group – mostly boys but with some girls – go over to West Jerusalem to work in a purpose-built park with Israeli skateboards, with ramps and much smoother running than they are used to.
“We saw that there are Arabs who skate on board, so we decided to do it too, try it and improve,” Shweiki said.