Palestinian rock climbing: Climbers practice despite Israeli checkpoints

For these Palestinian climbers, just getting to this valley in the occupied West Bank to practice their sport is itself a challenge. Faris Abugosh says growing numbers of Israeli checkpoints with soldiers or Israeli settlers living in the surrounding hills are dangerous obstacles that are tough to overcome. We have seen a lot of repression, revenge against us. You always feel you're being targeted, like the fake sense of security you used to have once, now it's completely gone because it's very easy for you to be caught in the wrong time and place. It's never been harder for Palestinians to move around the occupied West Bank. Wadi al-Ghul is a popular destination for climbers five kilometres south of Bethlehem. On the way, Israeli soldiers stopped Tariq Habna at a checkpoint. I was in the shared taxi and I had some water in my bag. At the checkpoint, a soldier poured the contents of my bottle into my bag for no reason. I mean, why did he do that? More than 400 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces or settlers in the occupied West Bank since Israel launched its war on Gaza more than five months ago. But the climbers say Israeli soldiers are less likely to harass them if they're joined by friends from abroad. And one of them is Giulia Villa, a climber from Italy. It's really beautiful here. With regards to the situation in Palestine, there are so many checkpoints. Everything is closed. As a Westerner, I have more rights than the people living here. It's different for the Palestinians. Even under the severely limited freedoms that come with living under occupation, these Palestinian climbers say they're determined to continue exploring their country and asserting their identity. Victoria Gatenby, Al Jazeera.