Solidarity Mission & Study Tour: Feb • May • Sept 

After lunch the group will travel between Palestinian neighborhoods, urban and suburban settlements, the Separation Barrier, and segregated roads. You’ll see first hand the effects of discriminatory policies and the stark inequality between infrastructure in West and East Jerusalem, where most Palestinians are not citizens but permanent residents of Israel living under military rule.

Throughout the tour your guide will give descriptions and analysis of the impact of the Jewish settlements on the nearby Palestinian neighborhoods, and discuss the increase in violence since October 7th in a broader historical context.

At the end of the day the group will travel to Beit Sahour, outside of Bethlehem, to meet your host family.

Today you’ll explore the religious and political significance of Bethlehem, a Palestinian city in the central West Bank, approximately 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem, with a population of 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism.

You will also visit the Aida Refugee Camp, where you will meet with residents and spend time at the Aida Youth Center. Aida camp was established in 1950 on an area of 66 dunums between the towns of Bethlehem and Beit Jala and today houses 5,000 refugees whose families were displaced in 1948. 

From Aida Camp you will see the Separation Barrier, and walk along it for an up close look of the  graffiti done by many local and international artists including the internationally renowned Banksy. You will visit the Walled Off Hotel, designed by Banksy, with a museum and acclaimed gallery that attracts many art lovers and visitors from around the world to this once abandoned area in the city.

You will return to homestay for dinner at the end of the day.

This day will focus on the communities in the Gaza Strip and the Gaza Border most directly impacted by recent hostilities between Hamas and Israel. The group will travel from Bethlehem to the Gaza Border and stop at a lookout point not far from Erez Checkpoint, one of the few points of entry and exit from the Gaza Strip since military closure was instituted in 2007. With your guide you will discuss the history of the Gaza Strip, the removal of the settlements in 2005, the closure in 2007, and the devastating implications of the Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip.

Then you will visit Israeli communities on the border of Gaza, over a dozen of whom were attacked by Hamas on October 7th and have endured months of rocket fire. Both residents of Israeli Jewish communities like Sderot and Bedouin villages in the Negev, or Naqab as it’s called in Arabic, were among the hostages taken on October 7th. You will see the ongoing material and emotional effects of the recent violence on these communities and learn about their implications for the future.

This day will focus on Palestinian life in parts of the north of the occupied West Bank. From Bethlehem you'll drive around the east of Jerusalem through the Judean Desert to Ramallah. You'll see many Jewish settlements  and enter the city through a checkpoint into the neighborhood of Kufr Akab. The Separation Wall divides the neighborhood from Jerusalem although it is part of the municipality and the residents pay city taxes. You’ll visit Arafat's Tomb and walk the streets of this bustling city, one of the primary political and cultural centers of Palestinian life today.

After lunch you'll drive to the Jordan Valley and speak with residents of rural farming communities who live in this beautiful region. Israel has slated the Jordan Valley for annexation, as specified in the Trump peace plan of 2020, and wants to consolidate its military control over the area. You will see how the attempts of the army to make life unbearable in the Jordan Valley affects the daily reality of Palestinians.

Return to homestay for dinner & overnight 

Beit Ummar is a Palestinian Muslim village between Bethlehem and Hebron in the middle of Israel's Gush Etzion settlement bloc. On arrival at Beit Ummar you'll meet your host Mousa and settle into your room. You'll spend the day walking the village with Mousa, meeting local families to learn about their life and issues with land confiscation and settlers. 

In addition to the formal program of activities, you are encouraged to wander the village, meet people, and soak up the atmosphere. There are also adjacent country areas where you can stroll through the olive groves. You'll stay in comfortable accommodations in the fully furnished guest house or family homestays.

In the morning you'll visit farmers in their fields and homes around the village and see firsthand the surrounding settlements built on confiscated land. You'll also be learning about the Palestine Solidarity Project. The villagers have developed a strategy of nonviolent resistance to the occupation and organize a variety of activities.

These include accompanying farmers to their land when there is a danger of settler violence, replanting destroyed trees, and resisting home demolitions. They also have established a women's embroidery cooperative. You will have an opportunity to learn about these activities, and meet activists in the village to learn about their work.

You will also learn about Israeli and Jewish international solidarity efforts and protective presence initiatives in the South Hebron Hills, which have been ongoing since October 7th and showcase new forms of shared resistance that have developed in recent years.

During your final three days in the West Bank you’ll volunteer in villages in Area C in order to materially support their steadfastness in the face of occupation. Volunteering may include agricultural work such as planting and harvesting, English teaching, or participating in youth or women’s empowerment projects. On the registration form you can detail your skills and preferences.

You will experience life in these villages for three days and be hosted by these villages that contend every day with the reality of occupation. More than anything else it is important to show these villages that they are not alone and there are people from around the world who will stand in solidarity with them and work tangibly to support them.

You'll depart for Jerusalem after breakfast on Wednesday for a final debrief at the Jerusalem Hotel Cafe where you will discuss key insights you have gleaned through your experience, key questions that you want to continue exploring, and how to continue acting in solidarity with the communities you have visited once you return home. The solidarity mission will conclude at the Jerusalem Hotel following this session.