False Narrative of Danger:

The greatest barrier I have found to encouraging tourism to Palestine is a very well established and expensively crafted narrative that Palestine is an unsafe destination for foreigners. There is this narrative, particularly in Western countries, that Palestinians hate foreigners and wish to do them harm. Let me be clear, not once, in my 11 months in Palestine have I ever felt in danger because of a Palestinian.

I am a young, single, American woman, just out of college, and I have often walked the streets of Nablus, Hebron, Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Bethlehem on my own. I have actually never felt as safe and as welcomed in any other country I have travelled to as I do when I am here in Palestine. I am regularly invited into people’s homes and shops to share coffee or a meal, children regularly ask to take photos with me on the streets, and random men, women, and children on the streets will yell out “Welcome! Welcome!” as I pass by on the street. When you hear of incidents of violence in the West Bank you should go through those news stories and search for a time a foreigner was injured because 99% of the violence here in recent years has been between the Israeli army/settlers and Palestinians.

To clarify, life in Palestine can be quite dangerous for Palestinians, as they live under the constant aggressions of the Israeli military occupation. This violence does not affect foreigners visiting Palestine unless you decide to partake in a protest or demonstration against the Israeli government. I can say that the only time I felt in danger was when I attended demonstrations against the Israeli occupation and I witnessed tear gassing and rubber bullets being fired on protesters. It is not easy to just wander upon a protest in Palestine, so the only way you are likely to find yourself in danger is if you choose to put yourself in such a position.

 

Recommendations:

Women/Harassment:

As a young woman, walking alone at night in certain areas such as the center of Ramallah, or near some of the refugee camps may lead to cat-calling or verbal harassment. Based on my own experience and that of other foreign women here, we have found that cat calling, verbal, and sometimes physical harassment, tend to be higher in Ramallah and Bethlehem and lower in more conservative areas like Hebron and Nablus. This harassment also tends to be concentrated during the night or when you are walking alone on an empty street. Young men are likely not to harass you in front of other Palestinians because they and their families would be seriously shamed for such an act, this is why it is best to stay in populated areas.

Personally, I have found walking alone to be fine and I am never afraid to walk alone. I also choose to dress quite modestly to decrease attention to myself; but, to err on the side of caution when you first arrive, I would suggest traveling in groups until you get to know an area. Unfortunately, it is also true that you will not face harassment if you are with a man. As I worked as a teacher in the largest refugee camp in the West Bank, I would say walking through refugee camps is not at all a problem as a solo female, but again I would go during the day, or accompanied by a man at night.

NOTE: This section should not deter any women from visiting Palestine as I truly believe that if you use sound judgement (as with any traveling), you will be safe and thoroughly enjoy your experience. I decided to be quite specific in this section not to scare anyone away, but because I always believe it is better to be over-informed as a female traveler than under-informed. 

Areas Not to Enter:

The only areas I would say are off-limits for foreigners, are areas that tend to be empty late at night such as the settlements in Hebron or the Old City of Hebron. I also would not walk through the refugee camps at night alone, largely because they tend to be somewhat maze like and they will be pretty empty at night, so unless you know your way around it may be easy to get lost. Also refer to the section above about it being best for solo female travelers to only walk alone at night in populated areas in order to decrease any chance of harassment. 

Protests:

If you choose to attend a protest in the West Bank you should read up on the different methods of suppression used by both the Israeli Army and the Palestinian Authority at protests. Typically it will entail tear gas, sound bombs, rubber bullets, and depending on the protest—live bullets.

You should come prepared and understand how to react in the case of any form of violence including arrest or detention. This means not only knowing your health insurance coverage but  also the number for your embassy and your legal rights. As someone who has attended protests against the Israeli Occupation, I would recommend staying near the back and away from the young men throwing stones since they will be the focus of the Israeli army’s aggressions. However, innocent bystanders have been injured at protests, so please take care.