My name is Jasmine, and I am Italian, but I live in London, and I am studying International Relations. My studies specialize in the Middle East and U.S. relations with Israel and the Middle East, so I was very motivated to come to Hebron to learn more about Israeli human rights abuses and how the occupation is affecting Palestinians.
I also wanted to learn more about the Israel-Palestinian conflict, as well as human rights issues in Palestine, from my own perspective. Hebron, in particular, is a very important city to understand more about the conflict as Hebron is completely divided into two part: H1 and H2. H1 being controlled by the Palestinians and H2 being controlled by the Israelis.
In your own time, I would recommend visiting H2 to see what life is like inside an Israeli settlement. It is a very eerie environment, filled with a disproportionate amount of heavily armed soldiers for the settlers and you can use your time there to learn about life for the remaining Palestinians living in H2 and how they deal with harassment from the Israelis.
So far I have visited NGOs, refugee camps, universities and Palestinians living in H1 who shared their stories about living under the occupation and allowed us to ask more questions. The stories shared were incredibly moving and showed the resilience of the Palestinians, yet it was difficult to understand how Israeli human rights abuses can continue unchecked.
People in Palestine are laid back and enjoy spending their time connecting with one another. It is not uncommon for a shop owner to see you walk past and invite you into his store for tea or coffee. From when I arrived in Hebron trying to find the Centre, to looking for the nearest ATM or trying to travel to other Palestinian cities – people were always quick to help.
Do not let the media discourage you from visiting Hebron or other Palestinian cities. Generally, Palestinians are very generous and welcoming people, especially to tourists. The cities in Palestine are full of life and always safe to visit.
How to apply or ask for additional information?
To apply to any of our programs: Please email Mr. Tamimi at info@gopalestine.org. Please type the name of the chosen program in the subject line. We will then contact you back!