Every Pro-Palestine supporter dreams to one day visit the beautiful land of Palestine. Often times, with Israel being in charge of who can and cannot visit, it's hard to have a peaceful traveling experience. Different tourist sites are blocked off depending on the IOF's mood that day, and you usually need impossible to attain permission to visit major landmarks. We (just as much as anyone else) would love to be able to see and experience Palestine despite the harsh rules set in place by the IOF. For that reason we have made an incredibly useful Palestine travel guide! Use this guide to enhance your travel experience and enjoy the fresh Palestinian air while the unfortunate hassle is minimized through our tips and recommendations.
1. Getting To Palestine: How To Prepare For Travel
There are varying methods on how to get into Palestine, and that all depends on a few things. Do you have a Palestinian passport? Are you only an American citizen? Do you have family in Palestine and or Jordan? All of these things are determinants as to what is going to be the best way for you to get into Palestine.
Flying through Ben Guirion Airport
- The only airport that flew into the West bank was shut down by the Israeli government in 2000. If you want to get into Palestine through his airport, you would need to be carrying a passport other than a Palestinian passport (Hawiya)
Booking Flights:
- If you're not too confined by dates, you can use the anytime feature on sites like Skyscanner or Google Flights to find the best deals.
- Book on a Sunday, with flights departing on a Tuesday. Those tend to be when you can find slight dips in price. Try your best to book 3 - 6 months in advance as well.
- Sites like Kayak, SkyScanner, are great tools. Avoid TripAdvisor and Booking.com for their refusal to acknowledge Palestines' existence.
- Flying into Jordan and entering via Israeli checkpoint
- Those who posses a green ID can ONLY use this option
- During the summer, this can be a lengthy process. Taking Up to 14 hours from the time you get to the Checkpoint to the destination.
2. Passing the Checkpoints: What You Need To Know
Both Palestinian territories, Gaza and the West Bank, are subjugated to brutal Military occupation, requiring you to successfully pass through Israeli checkpoints in order to visit.
Quick Tips:
- Stay Calm - Seeing men and women with large weapons that have the capacity to kill can be very intimidating, it is best to put on your best poker face and get through the quickest way you can.
- Have ALL your Papers on Hand - Passports, ID’s, even tickets sometimes, will be required at these checkpoints so have them in a place where you can quickly grab them.
- Keep your Pride in Check- We ALL know how much pride Palestinians carry in being Palestinian, and these checkpoints can make you feel sub-human but its best to not let it get to your head and ignore their intimidation tactics to cause the least amount of issues.
3. Lodging: Places To Enjoy During Your Stay
Finding the best hotels, owned by Palestinians. There are many hotels owned by Palestinian families and/or Palestine supporters and we have listed a few here for your convenience!
Hashimi Hotel
⭐️ Review: "We loved everything about our stay. Location was so central and within a walking distance everywhere we wanted to go to in the old city of Jerusalem. Room were so clean, comfortable beds. The view was astonishing..." - H Neumann
Walled Off Hotel
⭐️ Review: "Across the street from the Apartheid wall in Bethlehem is a hotel that artist Banksy has built a hotel that expresses the life of Palestinians due to the occupation. The staff were efficient, friendly, and so helpful." - Munir Alawi (Google Reviews)
DO NOT BOOK WITH AIRBNB!
In 2018, AirBnB committed to removing all listings from stolen homes in Palestine, but soon reversed their decision in 2019 listing settlements as vacation spots.
4. During Your Stay: Things You NEED To See and Eat
What You Need To See:
- Avoid touristic/historical sites in Jerusalem, the Old City, and the occupied Golan Heights which are run by the Israeli occupation.
- Increasingly visit Palestinian families in both the West Bank and Gaza, as well as camps.
- Traveling to Palestine is not just a vacation, but a beautiful reminder to acknowledge and take in the history and reality of what has happened throughout the land.
- Take a trip to the "Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound" and "The Old City" - Take a trip back into history by taking a step into the Old city of Jerusalem.
Foods You Need To Try:
We totally recommend that you try as much food as you can throughout your stay! There are so many mouthwatering flavors to take in and enjoy all over the streets of Palestine, so take advantage and enjoy the savory tastes the culture has to offer! Here are some hot spots we recommend you make it a point to stop by on your food tour!
- You cannot visit an Arab country without taking a sip of the beautiful caffeinated beverage we call coffee. Lucky for you, we have a separate blog about "6 Must Try Coffee Shops in Palestine".
- BOOZA!🍦 You can never go wrong by spending an entire vacation eating ice cream. I would even go as far to say that it is sacrilegious to avoid it. Read our blog about the "5 Ice Cream Spots in Palestine You NEED to Know About" and add it to your Palestinian vacation.
5. Enjoying All There Is and More
- Watch a golden sunset at the top of the "Mount of Olives" in Jerusalem. The view at the top gives you the best orientation of the Old City, Ein Karem, and the horizon. This is a view that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. The view transcends words.
- Don't be scared to rock Pali Gear during your visit. Like aforementioned, avoid Pali Gear at checkpoints and airports, but there should be no fear in rocking a Pali Cap on the beach, or at the Al-Aqsa Compound. Represent your Pro-Palestine Gear with PRIDE.
- If you want to get an idea of what your experience in Palestine could look like, check out PaliRoots' own Palestine Travel Series available on our youtube channel right now.
6. Leaving You On A Final Note
Traveling to Palestine tends to be associated with some heartache and longing that may deter you from wanting to visit but we urge you to make it a point to take the time to explore Palestine's extensive and beautiful history. Take our advice and book your flight to Palestine as soon as you can. This blog was designed for your use to ensure a blissful and purposeful experience for you and your loved ones on your unforgettable journey.