Safety in Hebron, Palestine: Isn’t it dangerous?? This was the first question people would ask me when I told them I was going to travel to Hebron, Palestine. There is never one simple answer to the question of safety. It all depends on who you are, what you do and where you go. That is why I’m speaking from a point of view of a Finnish girl studying Arabic in Hebron. Generally speaking, my answer to the question is that no, it is not dangerous.
the conflict between Israel and Palestine
It is true that the conflict between Israel and Palestine is ongoing and the news about clashes between Palestinians and settlers are quite frequent. However, this is something that doesn’t really affect everyday life in the city. There are protests near the checkpoints between H1(Palestinian side) and H2 (the Israeli side) of the city on Fridays, sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller and sometimes no protests at all.
There is a possibility that these protests get violent, or at least teargassed, but unless you willingly go in the middle of them the (perhaps sad) truth is that it is quite easy for a foreigner to stay out of the way of the conflict.
streets and everyday life in Hebron
What comes to the streets and everyday life, in general, it is very safe. There is no need to worry about someone stealing your handbag while walking down the streets and I never had a problem taking a taxi home around midnight. My friend once lost a wallet with cash, a credit card, and an ID inside of it – it was returned to him by a local shortly after with all the contents still inside.
traveling as a woman to Palestine
As for what comes to traveling as a woman I’ve felt much safer than for example in Latin America. Hebron is a conservative city, which means there is a certain culture of respect towards women. Sure I have heard occasional whistles after me but that’s about it.
Final Remark
So how do you stay safe in Hebron? Put on a seatbelt in a car, watch out for traffic while crossing the street and stay out of needless trouble.
