Human Rights Program in Hebron

My name is Phevia, I’m from Australia and I am studying Social Science (Security and International Relations). This year, I joined the Human Rights Program for 3 weeks at the Excellence Center in Hebron.

Some of the places I visited were Al Fawwar Refugee Camp, The Old City of Hebron, The villages of Massafer Yatta, The Independent Commission for Human Rights, Hebron Municipality, Blind Charitable Society (School), PAL Motion, The Association of Human Rights Defenders, Al Shahuda St and H2. The visits we made and the perspectives we got to hear from different people gave us a better understanding of the situation and how it impacts different areas in Hebron and Palestine and how different demographics are impacted. Overall, the visits give a broader picture of how people in Palestine are resisting the occupation and how the kind of help provided to Palestinians vary.

During my time in Palestine, I did 3 hours a week of Arabic lessons with Marwa which I really enjoyed. The Arabic lessons were a highlight for me and if you embrace the language, you will learn more during your time in Palestine from everyone because they love to teach you Arabic on the street and in the shops. You can learn new words with almost every interaction, and it made it easier to get around Hebron knowing basic conversational Arabic.

I also visited the cities of Bethlehem, Jericho and Ramallah during my free time in Palestine and found it easy enough to get shared taxis or services to these cities. I recommend visiting other cities to learn more about Palestine and its history. It is also important to support Palestinian businesses and their economy.

I stayed with a host family in Hebron and enjoyed the experience as I found it comforting to stay in a home. I was able to meet families during my stay and enjoy home cooked Palestinian food.

Except for a few instances, I felt mostly safe in Palestine. I think there’s always danger anywhere you go even in your home country and its mostly dependent on individual. I recommend taking extra care to be aware of your surroundings and ask for updates on the situation on a daily basis.

I also found Palestinians to be mostly helpful and welcoming. I liked the hospitality of people in Palestine, you’re always welcomed with coffee and tea and every person greets you with a welcome even if you’re only passing by.

My overall experience in Palestine was good, and I will miss the people and the country. I would recommend this experience to others whether completing a Human Rights Program or learning Arabic. I think the best way to approach the programs in Palestine is to not have high expectations, as the country is going through a difficult situation and often things change last minute due to strikes. This can make planning activities a bit difficult with last-minute cancellations but eventually, you will get to do them and it’ll be worth it. Before traveling to Palestine it pays off to have a basic understanding of the conflict, so you can be more culturally aware and sensitive.