Palestine internships guide: Many people are interested in undertaking an internship in Palestine. It is a fascinating country with plenty of volunteer opportunities to do interesting work in order to build your experience and your skills. There are many interesting governmental and non profit organisations in Palestine with which to intern, but you need to make sure to do your research to ensure you find a programme which is a good fit for you with a creditable organisation.

Do your research

Doing your research is crucial to finding the right internship programme. While there are lots of programmes available, it is important to find one that is a fulfilling and valuable experience with a well-run and professional organisation.

Using the internet is of course the best way to delve further into a programme and check out the credentials of the various organisations offering them. Be sure to read news stories about the organisations (if there are any) to check that they are offering legitimate experiences for potential interns.

Staying safe in Palestine

There are many negative reports about the security situation in Palestine but most of them are exaggerated. Most governments will advise against travelling to Gaza as the situation there is consistently volatile and the area is not open to tourists and international visitors. However, the West Bank is much more stable and while there are occasional clashes in certain cities, it is easily possible to avoid these troubles if you are sensible.

Be sure to ask around where potential problem areas are and make sure to avoid them: they will usually be localised in one area of the city and only at specific times, which will be well-known to locals. As long as you are doing an internship which does not involve overt political activities, you will not be a target for Israeli security forces and the Palestinian population will be very open and welcoming.

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Preparing to visit Palestine

Once you’ve found the right programme for you and you understand the safety picture for the area, there is still a lot of things to prepare. Even something simple like clothing can be a headache! Palestine gets very hot in summer, but the winters can be wet and cold, especially during the night, so make sure you’ve got the right clothes.

Also remember to bring an adapter plug for your electronics as Palestine may well have a different plug socket shape to your home country. Make sure to plan your route for wherever you are visiting and read up about which type of transport to take. Unprepared travellers can be ripped off if they are unsure of where to go once they arrive. It always helps if you have locals to contact who can tell you which is the best way to reach the destination for your internship.

Internship opportunities in the West Bank

The Excellence Center in the city of Hebron, West Bank offers lots of opportunities to do different internships, depending on your focus and interests. For some people they might be more focused on the Arabic language so they can do an internship related to that. For others, they might want to build up their English teaching skills or their credentials in the fields of human rights, journalism or development. The Excellence Center has a tailored programme for each of these areas. Best of all, each internship is entirely flexible on dates and cost to make it as convenient as possible for each individual.

The Excellence Center is well established, having run these programmes for the last eight years in Hebron with great links to the local community. Aside from the experience you can gain from the programme, it is also really possible to see the impact you can make through your internship here. Each programme balances its core projects with Arabic classes and free time which gives the opportunity to understand the place, the culture and the people (guided by the Excellence Center of course).

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Reviews from former participants

The Excellence Center in Palestine programs including the internships in Hebron, Palestine have more than

Duration of the internship in Palestine

The Excellence Center accepts applications year-round from candidates who can do an internship with our institution for a duration of 1-3 months. Participants in the Internship in Palestine Program decide when they would like to start and end their program. We are very flexible when it comes to starting dates and the duration.

If instead, you are looking for an internship or a volunteer program for less than a month (e.g. one, two or three weeks), then please check our Volunteer and Study Arabic in Palestine Program (1-12 weeks).

How can I get/fly to Hebron, Palestine?

Unfortunately, Palestine does not have any airports in the West Bank or the Gaza strip. All Palestinians use either the airports in Jordan or Eygpt to travel abroad. However, international interns in Palestine may fly to Israeli airports and then cross into Hebron, West bank.

The easiest way to get to Hebron, Palestine and the Excellence Center is:

  • Fly to Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv Airport (Israel). It takes about two and a half hours from the airport to Hebron and the center via shared Taxi.
  • Furthermore, you can fly to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan and then cross to Palestine, but it takes more time and is more expensive.
  • Finally, you can also fly to Eilat Ramon airport (South of Israel) and then travel by booking a shuttle, or taking a bus to Jerusalem and then to Hebron. This trip to Hebron can last between 6-7 hours.

Do I need a visa to enter the West Bank?

Most of the Excellence Center’s participants in the Internship in Palestine Program get a tourist visa for three months when they fly to Israeli airports or cross from Jordan to the West Bank.

In general, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine (and Israel) . Please refer to the visa exemption agreement. Upon your arrival at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days which enables you to travel around Palestine and Israel.

Traveling to and from Hebron, Palestine

The Excellence Center in Palestine’s staff knows, as an intern in Palestine, you would like to know how to get to Hebron, West Bank, how you can make your way to the Excellence Center, which taxi you should take, and how you can cross the checkpoints in the West Bank.

You may find all necessary information on how to get to Hebron, Palestine and the Excellence Center with some contact information in these four articles:

Final remarks

All the different programmes offered by the Excellence Center can be found on the website, so be sure to read all the available information and decide which programme is right for you. If you need any further information at all, you can contact the center via the website or the contact details below. We hope you enjoyed reading Palestine Internships Guide article.

Find us online

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact at Rafat@excellencenter.org

Whatsapp:+972599479880

For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org

Excellence Center’s Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ExcellenceCenter

Excellence Center’s Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron