Palestine Unwrapped
Stories from real people and places of the Holy Land
Palestine Unwrapped: a unique collection of real-life stories from across Jerusalem and Palestine that explore the history, religions and politics of the Holy Land – and the impact of the Israeli occupation on Palestinian life. Wide-ranging coverage includes Bethlehem, the Dome of the Rock, the war with Hamas, olive-picking and hiking.
Number of pages: 272
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About this book
Palestine Unwrapped is an unprecedented collection of real-life stories celebrating the beauty and diversity of the Holy Land through its history, religions, politics and everyday life. Written by an outsider who lived for three years in East Jerusalem and travelled extensively across the region, these stories and lives lay bare the context and circumstances that have led to the war in Gaza and the continued oppression of the Palestinian people.
In 2019, when Kirsty Le Grice arrived in Sheikh Jarrah with two young children, she was catapulted into a complex world that was both wonderful and tragic. Living as part of the international community, she travelled throughout Israel and the Palestinian West Bank to reach places that others can’t or don’t see. The stories she heard from the people who lived there and the places she visited helped her to try and make sense of the true character of Jerusalem and Palestine.
Through Le Grice’s narrative, explore the Old City of Jerusalem, including famous sites like the Dome of the Rock, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Western Wall. Wander through West Bank towns and cities, including Bethlehem (where artist Banksy owns a hotel ‘with the world’s worst views’: the Separation Wall), Hebron and Jenin. Experience daily life in off-the-beaten-track villages. Pick olives from ancient trees to appreciate Palestinians’ deep-rooted connection to the land, which is under threat from Israeli settler violence. Savour the beauty of hiking in Palestine, including Wadi Qelt and around Jericho. Visit locations across Israel that formed historic Palestine, including Jaffa, Haifa, Akko, Nazareth and Lifta.
Palestine Unwrapped is about people as well as place. Peeling back the secrets of the Holy Land, layer by layer, Le Grice gives a human face to Palestine while exposing harsh realities of the Israeli occupation on day-to-day existence. Meet Hassan, who camped out to defend his land. Let Mustafa, an entrepreneurial refugee, guide you around Bethlehem. Go tobacco-picking with Mohamad in Zabubah. Eat maqloubeh in Ali’s kitchen in Abu Dis. And take a tour around the world’s most Ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhood with someone who left it.
Compelling, authentic and wide-ranging, Palestine Unwrapped is a portrait of a unique region and the struggle to maintain tradition and day-to-day normality on the cusp of intense conflict.
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About the Author
Kirsty Le Grice (eastjerusalemdiaries.com) lived in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem as part of the international community between 2019 and 2022. Cast adrift from her normal work, she volunteered in a refugee camp in Bethlehem and at a children’s hospital on Mount of Olives before working on communications and fundraising for a youth charity in East Jerusalem. Her debut book Palestine Unwrapped draws on the East Jerusalem Diaries blog she started in 2020 to record her experiences of travelling across the Palestinian West Bank. After three years living in Sarajevo with her husband and two children, she moved back to her hometown of Edinburgh in 2025, where she works on promoting social justice.
Additional Information
Table of ContentsPreface
PART 1: The People and Places of Jerusalem
1 The Heart of the City
2 The Religions
3 The Politics
4 The Local Businesses
5 The Land
6 The Occupation
Conclusion
PART 2: The People & Places of Occupied & Historic Palestine
7 Bethlehem
8 Southern Palestine
9 Desert Dwelling
10 Cities & Saints
11 Off the Beaten Track
12 Historic Palestine
Conclusion
Reader’s Guide