Palestinian Law, Human Rights, & Palestinian Refugees Internships

My name is Jaskiran and I’m from the UK. I’m a second year law student. My time at the Excellence Centre was extraordinary and I am so grateful to have been able to experience this beautiful country and its kind-hearted, fierce, passionate people. My activities at the Excellence Centre during the work week (Sunday to Thursday) included Arabic lessons from 9am-12pm on most days and then there would be a trip to go on or I would meet with my programme-specific mentor, who was a local Palestinian lawyer. The Centre organises most of your visits and educational trips during the week and then you are free on Fridays and Saturdays to find your own things to do or see. I met with my programme’s mentor the morning after I arrived in Palestine and visited the Independent Commission for Human Rights and received a very informative talk from the Head of the Commission. I then began my Arabic lessons the next day, and my teacher, Ghaida, is the most eloquently spoken and charismatic person. She made our lessons so enjoyable and ensured that conversation and communication in Arabic was the priority. And two weeks later, someone complimented my ability to converse in Arabic - even though I know I have a very long way to go to be fluent - and I thought of my teacher and peers who made this possible. Ghaida inspired in me an excitement and hope that I can take my Arabic studies further, and as a lover of languages and the rich historical, social and emotional understanding that you learn by learning a language, I could not have had a better experience learning Arabic at the Centre. On my programme, I also met with a lawyer for the Sharia courts and found out more about the origins and sources of the modern Palestinian legal system. I also had the privilege of sitting in on Mamon’s Human Rights presentation and his ability to turn a few PowerPoint slides into an academic debate and environment of intellectual creation meant that we not only learned the history of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and how it came to be, as well as the devastating human rights violations that this has inflicted on the Palestinians, but also heard each other’s reasons to be here and what we thought was the solution to such suffering.There is certainly no better way to understand the occupation than by being here, and learning about the law and history from not only highly educated teachers and mentors here at the Centre but also people who have stayed kind-hearted and extraordinarily willing to help and educate at no personal gain for them. But there is also no better way to experience the beautiful culture and people here either. My host family became like my second family here and I have never experienced such warmth and kindness from complete strangers than with my host family. And also with the people here that I didn’t get to know personally - Palestinians are so willing to help you out, feed you and make sure you’re comfortable, and everyone always has kawaha brewing on the stove, ready to serve any guests or friendly strangers they come across. I stayed in a room in my host family’s home, with my friend Elise, and they made us feel such a part of their home that I will remember their love and kindness for the rest of my life. My absolute favourite part of staying here in Hebron was the home-cooked meals and delicious food you will find in every shop and family’s home here. What is the best way to experience Palestinian cuisine you ask? Definitely at someone’s home, eaten together from the same plates. During my time here, I also visited Jerusalem and Bethlehem multiple times, and also Battir, a small village on the outskirts of Bethlehem where one of our host brother’s is a manager at Neev View restaurant with stunning views. I also visited the Farwaa Refugee Camp, which is a necessary part of your understanding of the collateral damage that the occupation has caused. Some other things I did on the programme was visiting a local school and meeting with someone from the Ministry of Education, seeing the illegal border walls that separate Bethlehem (and the West Bank) and Jerusalem and doing an internship with our law mentor.
One of my favourite parts of the experience with the Centre was having breakfast with all the participants every morning, catching up about our days and discussing what’s next and just feeling truly part of a community here. I had plenty of time after my Arabic lessons and trips for the day to go to a local cafe and write up my notes and choose whatever I wanted to do for the evening. As long as you are respectful and willing to become a student and listen and learn from the people and their experiences you will feel more than safe in Palestine. I actually felt safer in Palestine than I did during my visits to Jerusalem, because I knew that I was part of a family and community here in Hebron.

The Excellence Centre has been an incredible and enriching experience for me and I have learnt so much. Palestinians are the most warm and welcoming people you will ever meet and I feel lucky to have made so many friends here.

The center regularly hosted dinners for the students where we could try famous local dishes such as Makluba. If you have the time, make sure to attend these because it is always delicious!!

As part of my course, I got the unique opportunity to visit a diverse range of places all over Palestine. Additionally, one of the great things about the center is the flexibility. If you show an interest in a particular area, they are more than happy to accommodate you on various trips even if they are for a different program. As such, I feel like I received an even richer, inter-disciplinary understanding of Palestine.

As part of the program, I also learnt Levantine Arabic. My teachers were absolutely incredible and I wish to say a huge thank you to them because I have learnt more than I thought was possible in such a short time. I hope to continue my learning when I get back to the UK.

As a woman, I was cautious travelling to the Middle East by myself. However, I have felt so safe in the West Bank. Everyone is also so nice and if you are lost or have problems finding a certain location, locals will often go above and beyond to help you.

Palestine now has a permanent place in my heart and I hope I can return someday soon!

My name is Simon and I participated in the human rights programme.
My Arabic lessons were an important part of my internship experience. Learning the language was an exciting challenge, and I was amazed at how quickly I was able to pick up conversational Arabic during my time in Palestine. The language lessons were not only informative but also engaging.
Contrary to common misconceptions, I felt remarkably safe throughout my stay in Palestine. I found that the reality on the ground was very different from the media portrayal, and I was able to engage in my work and exploration without any concerns. The only moment I did not feel entirely safe was during the lockdown of the city.
My volunteering experience in Palestine left me impressed by the resilience and warmth of its people. Despite facing challenging circumstances, Palestinians showed a high level of hospitality. This experience strengthened my belief in the importance of understanding and supporting their pursuit of justice and human rights in the region.

The Women's Rights Program gave me a good overview of the situation in Palestine and of the Human's Rights conditions in general. Being here helped me to understand better a situation that can appear to difficult to understand from outside.
I felt safe in my daily life in Hebron and Palestine because I was a foreigner and
therefore was treated properly by everyone
I would recommend the Center but you need to
take into account that every experience is different according to the program, host families
(mine played a huge part in my positive experience), length of the stay,

I had a really nice experience and met so many lovely people during my time here. The Human Rights program was very interesting. Some visits were more related to human rights than others, but still you will definitely get an idea of human rights situation in Palestine and all the violations. The advice I would give to people doing this program is: know what you want to do during your time here and what you want to learn from your program. Take initiative and tell the Center if you want to do something specific. I loved giving human rights workshops to Palestinian youth and also I would recommend getting in touch and working together with the Human Rights Defenders Association.

Both the family and the center were more hospitable than I would have ever thought. The family was incredible, and the living situation itself was average. The excursions were informative and helpful for my understanding of the situation in palestine, and Hebron is very safe- I had no worries travelling in and out of the city. I felt my time was too short- I worked with a lawyer as I am in the law program, and it was wonderful to learn about sharia law. I would absolutely reccomend the law program.

Hello, I am a master student in Public International Law and I would like to share some insights from my time at the Excellence Center in Palestine, where I was privileged to be a part of their Human Rights Internship.

I stayed in an apartment with a few other male students from different parts of the world. The location was convenient, as the apartment was only a five-minute walk away from the Excellence Center. Moreover, our accommodation was not just comfortable but also became a place for lively discussions, great relaxation, and mutual learning,

One of the standout aspects of the Excellence Center is its dedication to language instruction. Although I had only experience with studying Modern Standard Arabic,
I was genuinely impressed by how much my Levantine Arabic language skills improved in such a short span. The tailored approach and commitment of my teacher Saja made that every class was both challenging and rewarding. In addition, the small group size allowed me, and the other student(s), to ask any questions we had both before, during, and after class.

Another standout aspect of the Excellence Center were the organized excursions. Our visits to the refugee camps were both heart-wrenching and eye-opening. Interacting with the residents and listening to their stories provided a first-hand perspective on the resilience and struggles faced by the Palestinians under the Israeli occupation. Additionally, meeting with several human rights activists and a seasoned Palestinian lawyer deepened my understanding of the complexities of human rights within the West Bank.

On weekends, I had the chance to explore different cities in the region. Each city, from Ramallah to Bethlehem, offered its unique charm, history, and experiences. Whether it was the bustling markets, ancient monuments, or the Palestinian cuisine, these weekend sojourns deepened my connection to the land and its people.

In sum, my internship at the Excellence Center was an experience filled with learning, growth, and profound personal connections. Beyond just academic and professional growth, it was a journey into understanding the intricacies of Palestine's history, culture, and its people's dreams for the future.

To anyone considering this internship: It is intellectually stimulating, emotionally enriching, and offers you a great opportunity to meet like-minded people from all of the world.

My name is Siw. I am a Danish student with a bachelor’s degree in History. At the centre, I am in the human rights program, which I have been doing for four weeks. I did 12 hours of Arabic lessons, which I found extremely helpful. We started learning some introduction phrases and the alphabet, which helped me get by in Palestine. Other than that, my host family were happy to help me learn some new words and phrases. For four weeks, I lived with my Palestinian host family. They invited me to their family members’ graduation party and introduced me to the Palestinian culture, which I am thankful for.

During my stay at the centre, I participated in various visits to different sites, such as Masafer Yatta, a Beduin community in the southern West Bank, where we had the opportunity to speak with the inhabitants. I also visited the Hebron Municipality, refugee camps, local Palestinian families etc. The environment of the centre is very down to earth. The staff, teachers, and students are ready to help if a problem arises. Overall I will say that there is a positive atmosphere here at the centre.

On the weekends, together with other interns and volunteers, I visited Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jerico. I also had the opportunity to visit Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Safety was an essential question for me in my consideration of coming here. Palestine, I found, is more safe than I first assumed. I did not at any time feel unsafe or insecure, which is also what I like about Hebron. However, what I like most about Palestine is the friendliness of the people I have had the chance to meet during my time here. They have been overwhelmingly helpful and open-minded, and I have been treated as one of their own. Nature is also something I enjoy – the beauty is breathtaking. Even though I have many things that I like about Palestine, all the history embedded in the landscape here is mindblowing and has been something that I have had the chance to explore more in debt.

After my internship, my lasting impression of Palestine is how complicated everything is here and how many Palestinian lives, unfortunately, are affected by politics. However, they somehow seem to find strength beneath all the suffering. The environment of the centre is very down to earth. The staff, teachers and students are ready to help if a problem arises. Overall I will say that there is a positive atmosphere here at the centre. My overall experience at the Excellence Center and in Palestine is positive. I have enjoyed my time here and met some amazing people who has been so great in sharing their stories with us. I can wholeheartedly recommend this Excellence Center to others.