Ancient pools near Jerusalem set for renovation

Ancient pools that provided water to Jerusalem around 2,000 years ago are to be restored under a $750,000 renovation funded by the United States, officials say.

The three Solomon’s Pools near Bethlehem in the West Bank were key sources of water for the city, according to research from the Institute for Palestine Studies (IPS).

One of Solomon’s pools in the West Bank, 2013 (Roman Klozweg/Wikimedia Commons)

At least six people have drowned in the unmonitored pools since 1993, according to the IPS. The US Consulate in Jerusalem has provided $750,000 for renovations and hopes to see the pools become part of a major tourism site in the West Bank.

“This project is about more than just protecting history. It is about protecting the lives and livelihoods of the people living here today,” US Consul General Donald Blome says.

— AFP