Traveling alone to the West Bank: A lot of people imagine that traveling alone to Palestine is not a must. Lonely travelers may have concerns about their safety, regarding the situation in the country. Many governments issue traveling warnings related to Palestine, but most of those focus on Gaza, which is, in fact, a place to avoid. The West Bank, on the other hand, is a safe place to visit. Pilgrims and tourists, including the ones traveling alone, visit Palestine every year.
The strong presence of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank
Travelers will notice the strong presence of Israeli soldiers in the West Bank. Security is tight and Israel spends a lot of money on defense expenditure. They will probably experience the checkpoints on their way to Hebron but also inside the old city, between H1 area under Palestinian control and H2 area under Israeli military control. Every single person crossing a checkpoint will go through metal detectors and will also be asked, in Jerusalem for example, to open their bags before entering touristic places. Foreigners rarely encounter any problems or inconvenience at the checkpoints.
Demonstrations or stone throwing
The potential to encounter violence at this time is quite low. Incidents rarely target visitors traveling alone and can take different forms such as demonstrations or stone throwing. In fact, most of “attacks” by Israelis is aimed at Palestinians in the West Bank and by Palestinians at Israelis. Traveling alone is not increasing the risk to be a target of these incidents. Common sense is the rule regarding your own safety, as much as in any other countries.
Traveling alone in the West Bank is safe
Venturing alone in the West Bank is very safe and if you get lost, the people are really willing to help. Palestinians people are the warmest, the most welcoming and full of good intentions. You may even be offered to take a coffee with them. Volunteers can easily take Palestinian buses and services (shared taxis) from Jerusalem to any cities in the West Bank. The drivers are most of the time happy to take you everywhere. Be careful and discuss the price of the ride before seating in the taxi or service! Public transport is a good way to discover the country and an opportunity to interact with locals.
Google Maps is not working in Palestine
As a lonely traveler, you would need a map of the cities in West Bank. As Google Maps is not working in Palestine, the application “maps.me” offers a reliable alternative and accurate mapping of the cities. This application is much appreciated by travelers because maps can be download so that they can be used offline without having to find wifi.
Do you have any questions?
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
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