Timna Valley north of Eilat in the Arava Desert, believed to be the ancient site of King Solomon’s mines, is under threat. The pristine valley is in danger of being turned into a Disney-land style hotel complex and spa, and convention hall.
Four hotels are planned for the site, Daniel reports in the Jerusalem Post. There is a “prestigious” spa hotel, a “luxurious” convention center-hotel, a family-style hotel and one especially suited for jeep tours, all linked by a winding waterway for boats and gondolas.
The blueprint also reportedly includes shops, restaurants, pubs, discotheques and a children’s water park attractions.
Timna Park features some amazing natural phenomena, he writes, such as King Solomon’s Pillars carved by water erosion, the red sandstone “mushroom” rock and arches hewed by winds, fascinating remnants of primitive cultures including rock carvings, and ancient copper furnaces of King Solomon’s Mines where ancient Egyptians first began mining copper over six millennia ago.
He argues that with Eilat being close by, there is no need to develop such a pristeen region, and that locals had no concept of the scope of the project until recently when blueprints were revealed.
We have to keep in mind that Israel is a small country. When open spaces are developed, they are gone forever. If after you’ve read the story and think that development should be halted, sign the petition.
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
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