Is it Safe to Visit Palestine?

One of the main concerns for people traveling to Palestine is their personal safety. Among the most frequently asked questions by tourists are: Is Palestine a safe country to visit? Is my life going to be in danger during my stay? What are the risks? Holy Land Trust staff assures you that Palestine is very safe for international visitors. Unlike other conflict zones, foreigners here are not intended targets of violence. As an added precaution, we do not take tourists to areas considered to be high-risk or dangerous. Additionally, our participants are not typical tourists. They volunteer, live with Palestinian families, and study Arabic. Because of this they are often viewed as a part of the community and are treated as such.Some internationals who have participated in peaceful demonstrations against Israeli policies have been subject to teargas and ammunition fire.

If you choose to participate in these activities, you should be well-informed by organizers as to the potential risks. However, thousands of visitors travel to Palestine generally and Bethlehem in particular every day without incident. Additionally, robbery and theft are both extremely rare. Palestine also suffers from the media''s narrow focus on incidents of violence.

Although it is a sad truth that thousands of Palestinians and Israelis have died in the current Intifada period, very few internationals were among the casualties. Much of the harm of the occupation comes from structural violence and the military control over a civilian population. During your time with us, you will experience the reality of daily life of Palestinians and better understand the nature of all aspects of this conflict. We urge you to come to see for yourself the news which does not make it into the media. Some of these untold stories are covered by Holy Land Trusts online news service, Palestine News Network (www.pnn.ps). People from around the world have come to Palestine through Holy Land Trust. To learn about the personal experience of other visitors, please take the time to review the photos and journal entries of past Palestine Summer Encounter participants. Many of the countries we encourage people to visit in order to build relationships with its people have Travel Warnings from the U.S. State Department. Please be aware of these warnings and take them into consideration. You can check the most recent travel warnings, find visa/passport information, and obtain other travel information from the State Department website: http://travel.state.gov