BETHLEHEM, West Bank — Thousands of runners returned to the streets of Bethlehem this week for the 10th annual Freedom Marathon, transforming a race through checkpoints, refugee camps and towering concrete barriers into a global symbol of Palestinian endurance and resistance.
The event, widely known as the Palestine Marathon, unfolded alongside Israel’s separation wall as local and international participants ran under the slogan “We Run for Freedom.” Organizers said the marathon’s route — forced to loop repeatedly because of movement restrictions in the occupied West Bank — reflects the daily reality Palestinians face.
Freedom Marathon returns after years of disruption
The 2026 edition marked the first full-scale return of the marathon in three years after the Israel-Hamas war and regional instability forced cancellations and scaled-back events across the West Bank. According to organizers, more than 10,000 runners participated globally through solidarity races connected to Bethlehem’s main event.
Runners began near the Church of the Nativity before weaving through Bethlehem streets, refugee camps and stretches beside the separation wall covered in graffiti and political murals. Because Palestinians cannot move freely across large sections of the West Bank, marathon participants cannot complete a standard uninterrupted 42-kilometer route without encountering checkpoints or military gates.
One of the most emotional stories came from Palestinian runner Mohamad Al-Assi, who recently resumed training after spending more than two years in Israeli detention. Al-Assi finished second in the race and dedicated his performance to Palestinian prisoners.
“The main difficulties we face are the cars on the roads and the presence of Israeli security forces along the route where I train,” Al-Assi said in comments reported during the event.
Freedom Marathon becomes symbol beyond sport
While competitive running remains central to the event, organizers say the Freedom Marathon has evolved into a broader political and humanitarian statement focused on freedom of movement.
The race was originally founded in 2013 by the Palestinian running initiative Right To Movement, which aimed to highlight travel restrictions affecting Palestinians in the occupied territories. Since then, solidarity campaigns linked to the marathon have expanded internationally.
According to Amos Trust’s Run The Wall campaign, thousands of supporters across multiple countries participated in parallel runs this year to show solidarity with Palestinians.
The organization noted that the route along Bethlehem’s separation wall has become one of the defining images of the marathon, with participants literally “running the wall” as a protest against restrictions on movement.
Coverage from Al Jazeera reported that simultaneous races were also held in Gaza, including shorter runs involving amputees and disabled athletes in central Gaza.
Photos and videos from the event showed runners carrying Palestinian flags, chanting slogans and passing murals calling for freedom and justice.
Older coverage shows marathon’s long-running message
The political symbolism surrounding the Freedom Marathon has existed since its earliest editions.
In previous years, international media outlets repeatedly documented how the marathon route exposed the fragmentation of Palestinian territory. Earlier reporting from Run The Wall explained that runners must retrace sections of the course because there are not enough uninterrupted Palestinian-controlled roads to complete a traditional marathon route.
Meanwhile, longstanding debates over the separation barrier itself have continued for decades. Archived discussions and human rights reporting referenced in older analyses, including material summarized in community discussions about Israel’s West Bank wall, describe how the structure has affected mobility, access to farmland and connections between Palestinian communities.
The continuity between those earlier concerns and today’s marathon messaging has helped transform the event into more than a sporting competition.
Global attention grows around the Bethlehem race
International coverage of the Freedom Marathon intensified this year as images of runners passing alongside the wall circulated widely online and across global news outlets.
An Associated Press report distributed through ABC News described the race as one of the first major international public events in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war.
Additional reporting from Anadolu Agency highlighted how organizers framed this year’s marathon around “unity of the homeland,” linking events in Gaza and the West Bank.
Supporters on social media also described the event as a powerful example of resilience despite war and displacement.
For many participants, the marathon represented more than crossing a finish line. It became a public demonstration that daily life — and hope — continue despite conflict, barriers and uncertainty.
