West Bank

Travel in the Israeli-occupied West Bank can be dangerous during times of heightened Israeli-Palestinian tension. The U.S. and U.K. governments officially advise against traveling here. Inform your consulate of your plans if you decide to visit anyway. Changes in the political status of parts of the West Bank may alter some of the information given here. For important additional information on all aspects of travel in general and some specifics on the West Bank, see Essentials.

The small, rugged towns of the West Bank provide a physical immediacy to the events and characters of the Bible and the Qur’an. Since 1987, the West Bank has made international headlines as the site of the Palestinian uprising, the intifada. The closing off of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip by the Israeli authorities in March 1993, currently (summer 1993) still in effect, has only added to the general unrest. Travelers should inquire on current security conditions before leaving for any sight in the West Bank. Still, some areas in the West Bank, most notably those of touristic interest, are often safe enough to make a visit possible. Note that advancement in the Palestinian-Israeli peace talks may have unpredictable implications on travel in the West Bank.

The precarious political situation makes caution and wise planning an absolute. Use common sense in order to avoid offending or arousing the suspicions of the Palestinians, who categorically do not take kindly to Israelis, or ‘amil (suspected Israeli collaborators): do not speak Hebrew, and if you consult with Israeli soldiers, make it obvious that you are doing so because you are lost. Do everything you can to stress your tourist status: carry a backpack and maps, travel in groups, even wear Hard Rock Cafe T-shirts. Refer to your surroundings as Palestine (Filastiri). Refer to Jerusalem by the Arabic Al-Quds (the Holy), or better yet, say nothing at all. You might also want to pick up a copy of Berfitz’s linguistically useless Arabic for Travellers and display it prominently. Among Arabs in the market, service taxi, or bus, it is useful to demonstrate any knowledge of Arabic.

At the same time, Israeli soldiers, likely to be encountered in road blocks between the West Bank and Israel as well as anywhere within the West Bank, are suspicious of tourists who demonstrate knowledge of the Arabic language or local customs. Carry your passport with you at all times. Travelers who appear to be of Arab descent should be especially cautious and expect attention or sometimes harassment from Israeli troops. At any event, don’t even think of hitchhiking; take taxis for outlying sites.

The West Bank is much more conservative than neighboring Israel. Men should always wear long pants and a shirt. Women, who should not travel alone, generally can get away with pants and a T-shirt except in Nablus, Hebron, and the smaller villages, where more modest dress (long skirt, long-sleeved shirt) is the rule.