Is Palestine more dangerous after the Arab spring? Many people in the world may be wondering about the situation in Palestine after the Arab Spring, and whether it is more dangerous or safer after the revolutions which occurred in some Arab countries including Syria, Tunisia, Yemen and Egypt. People may think there was a negative impact on Palestine which might mean it should not be visited any more.
Well, Palestine did not experience any revolutionary events unlike the rest of the countries that were involved in the Arab Spring and so there has not been any significant change in the safety of visiting Palestine. In fact, Palestine has hosted even more international people since the events of the Arab Spring, because the events in these countries meant that their tourism industries have been destabilized.
People who come to Palestine from different countries around the world, either to learn Arabic, volunteer, intern or even work for a Palestinian organization have found visiting Palestine a unique experience. Palestine is often considered one of the best places to learn Arabic, because Palestinian Arabic is considered one of the most linguistically similar to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).
What has made Palestine safer?
Since Palestine did not experience any of the unrest that occurred in other Arab countries, its public life was not affected by these events. Indeed, it has become a more stable destination for many internationals. In addition, Palestine’s borders are controlled by Israel, which is a very security conscious country. This means that while Israel controls the borders, it also helps to keep the West Bank safe.
Why should I believe that Palestine is safer?
Here are some stories about peoples’ visits to Palestine after the Arab Spring, and how they felt during their time here.
Dr. Alan Dorway visited Palestine in May 2015. He said the following: “to anyone thinking about travelling to Israel/Palestine: GO. I went with the Pilgrims and felt totally safe”.
Andrew Lewis came in May 2016 and said that the trip was “safer than many popular tourist destinations I can think of. I never felt scared for the safety of anyone on the trip. In fact, both the residents of the West Bank and Israel are very kind. In my opinion there is really less risk for Americans travelling in Israel than for travelling in many cities in the US”.
nn-Sofie Dean who went to Palestine in May 2016 said “the Palestinian people were at all times welcoming and happy to see us. It would be difficult to find more genuine hospitality than what we found everywhere we went”.
These testimonials should help you to understand that the reality of life in Palestine is very different to how the media portrays the situation.
You can read the original text on the following link : http://www.pilgrimsofibillin.org/how-safe-is-travel-in-israel-and-palestine/
