A small step, to be sure, in freeing the good earth from violence, war and fearful suspicion...but this story reminds us all what's possible, reminds us that peoples working in concert can reclaim the land from warring generals and conspiring colonialists.
See the link on the milestone reached in de-mining these sites: https://www.timesofisrael.com/more-than-1500-landmines-cleared-at-jesus-baptism-site-on-jordan-river/.
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| Qasr al-Yahud: Study War No More |
From the Times of Israel: "Christians believe that Qasr al-Yahud, located about 10 kilometers (about six miles) east of Jericho, is the spot on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized. Qasr al-Yahud was a popular pilgrimage spot until 1968, when Israel blocked access and enfolded it in the closed military zone along the border with Jordan, fearing terrorists could use the churches as staging grounds for attacks on Israeli settlements. The Jordan River is only a few meters wide at that point."
