Lawyers in Palestine - Law Internship in Palestine/West bank

I am a 49 year old trial attorney with over 20 years experience defending the rights of the accused which recently has included people from the Levant including Palestine.
Prior to this program I studied Fusha (MSA) for two years and studied the Egyptian Dialect in Cairo for 2 weeks with some travel to Jordan and Jerusalem.

My program was only for two weeks but I wish it would have been longer. During this brief time, Mohammad Tamimi coordinated trips to Fawwar Refugee Camp, Masafer Yatta, Umm al-Khair, Women’s Studies Center, Palestinian Courts (Hebron and Halhool), Hebron Delegation of the Red Cross and Ibrahimi Mosque.

Breakfast was provided every morning with Um Mohannad making fresh Zaatar bread with falafel and hummus. Mohammad Aburumoooz was an awesome arabic teacher providing daily lessons of the Palestinian Dialect.

Prior to the trip I had questions and Mutaz Tamimi answered them via zoom calls.

On my last day in Hebron, I was having some difficulty finding a taxi in Hebron due to the empty streets during the celebration of Eid al-Adha. Thankfully at the last minute I texted Mohammad Tamimi via Whatsapp and with short notice he was able to have a taxi pick me up at my flat.

In short, I highly recommend this program for their professionalism and knowledge of the community.

My name is Billie and I am currently studying a masters in Law in London. I decided to come to Palestine, and Hebron in particular, in order to learn about the legal situation on the ground. I spent two weeks on the Lawyers in Palestine programme with Go Palestine and really wish that I could have spent more time here as there is so much to learn, see and do in the city.
I arrived in Hebron in the evening having taken a sherut from Jerusalem and was met by Osama and Marwa who I was to stay with for the two weeks. Living with a Palestinian family is a very valuable experience and a great introduction to the culture of the city. It’s bitterly cold in winter so I’d recommend any one coming here in the winter months to pack lots of warm clothes for both outside and inside the house. The old city is beautiful and well worth a visit – it speaks volumes about the reality of life for Palestinians living under occupation.
The programme itself was extremely interesting. I had some lessons at the Centre which introduced me to some of the foundational principles underpinning Palestinian Law as well as some discussions about the context in which the law operates in Palestine. I was able to meet with a number of different lawyers to talk to them about their practice and the reality of working as a lawyer in Palestine. I also visited court and sat in a case during cross examination, which was a wildly different experience to that in England. In order to situate my legal learning in socio-political context, I also met with NGOs and women’s rights activists. This turned out to be invaluable because it enabled me to glean different perspectives around current debates happening in Hebron with regard to CEDAW in particular and women’s rights in general. I also visited Al Fawwar refugee camp just outside the city. I met with a fantastic lawyer there who spoke with me about the legal and socio-economic situation for Palestinian refugees.
Hebron city itself is relatively conservative compared to other cities in the West Bank but I found Palestinian culture to be extremely warm and friendly. People are very eager to talk with you and invite you in for tea or coffee. It’s easy to make friends and feel comfortable and at home in a relatively short time. It’s also very safe (for foreigners). I never felt unsafe in Palestine. I was never accosted or bothered by people and felt able to leave valuables lying around in the knowledge no one would take anything. Despite my abysmal Arabic abilities, perfect strangers were always happy to help me, often calling friends who could speak English in order to translate so that they could better help me. I always felt safe and very well looked after by everyone.
I would definitely recommend others to visit Palestine, especially Hebron. It’s a wonderful city and if you want to see for yourself how the occupation works in practice and affects Palestinians, there’s no better place.

Murhaba (Hi)! My name is Rayyan; I am 20 years old and I am from a city named Birmingham in Great Britain. For me, the reasons for which I decided to come to Palestine are plentiful. Firstly, as a Law student – I have just finished my first year at the University of Oxford – the Lawyers in Palestine program has propelled me into the heart of key legal issues: I have had the opportunity to meet with local lawyers, activists and government officials to hear, first-hand, their experiences of the occupation in both legal and non-legal contexts. This has, in turn, formed the backbone of my time in Al-Khalil (Hebron).
However, more importantly, the cultural immersion into Palestinian life has, above all, been
extremely formative. I have been lucky enough to live with a host family (the Murads) during my two weeks in Hebron. Although, at first, I was quite anxious to do so, the Murads
welcomed me into their family as their own! As a city, I have found Hebron to be great place to stay. Along my daily walk to the centre, King Faisal Street served as a microcosm of life in Palestine: each day and night, I was exposed to the various foods (so much Falafel!),
produce, stools, and people, many of whom often greeting me and welcoming me to
Palestine – not forgetting the occasional Shisha in the evenings! In our free time, I have
traveled to Palestine and Israel. In turn, this has allowed me to view contrasts between
the different ways of life in different Palestinian cities, as well as serving as a great means to try (and maybe fail at) speaking my newly learned Arabic! Above all, my short time at the Palestinian Centre has been beyond profound. I have met a diverse range of people from all around the world – and with some, I have formed friendships that will last a lifetime. The memories I have gained here I will forever cherish and will shape the way in which I grow as a person. Shukran!

I was interested in visiting Palestine and found the Palestinian Centre whilst searching for relevant programmes.

The programme includes visits to the Old City, to Al-Fawwah camp, to various human rights organisations, to the court, and meetings with lawyers and human rights activists. We organised a workshop and facilitated a group discussion with law undergraduates from Hebron University.

The Palestinian legal system is complex and fascinating. Under occupation and in the absence of a legislative council, the resilience and innovativeness of legal practitioners is commendable. I was fortunate to meet people with bright ideas for improving Palestinian society.

Hebronite society is close-knit and welcoming, so it is easy to feel at home. I will have fond memories of many people, the streets and the food.

Generally, I found Hebron to be safe. There is some level of street harassment especially if you are a foreign female, but it is limited. The locals are very helpful, so if you encounter difficulties, don’t hesitate to check in with somebody.

Hebron is a really interesting city!

I would recommend you to visit Palestine, and particularly Hebron, to see for yourself how the society here works :)

My name is Oume and I'm from Cambridge, England. I took part in the 2 week ‘Lawyers in Palestine’ program here in Hebron, Palestine.

My experience in Palestine and specifically Hebron, has been amazing. The people are kind and full of hospitality, the country is beautiful and has so much to see, everyday was a new adventure!

The Go Palestine center was full of great memories, meeting new people and experiencing a fantastic insight into the Palestinian life! During my time here with the program, I got to visit lawyers and the courtrooms and see how different and unique the Palestinian legal system is. As well as this, I also had the opportunity to visit many human rights NGOs to learn about their work with the Palestinian people. This was especially insightful as it linked well with the 'Lawyers in Palestine' program and broadened my knowledge.

One thing I loved the most about my stay in Palestine was the culture and people. From learning about their history to learning about their traditions, Palestine is a country full of surprises and adventure. What makes me adore Palestine the most is its iconic sights that cant be missed and the unbeatable hospitality.

Safety in Palestine is one of the many things I was most amazed by. There is a misconception about this and I am glad I could experience first hand how safe and welcoming Palestine actually is. During my stay I always felt at ease and in no danger, there was stability and its nothing like whats often stereotyped in the media.

I would definitely recommend visiting Palestine no matter who and where you are! It is a country full of beauty and is so rich in culture, its one you can't miss. I'm glad I was able to take part in the program here at the Go Palestine center and would also recommend this to anyone who wants to experience this country in a unique way, whether its by learning about the different aspects of Palestine itself or the people and all the hard work that goes into making Palestine, Palestine.

My name is Victor Hugo Calero, I am 20 years old and I am from Ecuador. Actually I am studying Law at Universidad de las Américas in Quito, thats why I choosed the Lawyers in Palestine Program organized by the Palestinian center (Go Palestine) for engage with the Palestinian legal system and be able to expand my knowledge while learning another language and a different culture. At the Palestinian Center I was able to experience the palestinian languague, history, food, culture and friendship with all the members of the center that help me in everything I need.
During my internship I met Palestinian lawyers that explained me the way laws work in Palestine and the limitations and challenges they faced with the israeli ocupation. Also I was able to visit Hebron University and the Law College, there the teachers explained me the unique history of Palestinian laws since the otoman periodo until the Palestinian Authorithy laws.
They exposed me the difficulties with the ones Palestinian universities have to deal with, specially the law students and teachers that come to hebron. After the College I visited the court in Hebron were a lawyer explained me how the procederes work, then we went to a Law firm for learn about the difficulties and human rights violations palestinians have to face, specially moving around Palestine. Finally I went to a NGO that help women defend their rights, then I went to a refugee camp near Hebron were I learned about the refugee situation and how the Un help improving their situation. I also received arabic clases were I learned the Palestinian dialect and pronunciation.
The Palestinian culture surprises you since the moment you arrived, they are friendly with anyone and would help you in everything they can. In my opinión Palestine is safer than many latinamerican countries. In Hebron I didnt experience any violence and I feel safer than in Israel.
I recomend visit Palestine and join the programs at the Palestinian center for be able to understand the reality of palestinians and engage with this amazing culture.