We are a not-for-profit company called Travel2Palestine Ltd. We organise visits to Jerusalem and the West Bank for people who would like to see Palestine for themselves and find out more about the Israel-Palestine conflict.
We have organised these visits since 2011 because we are passionate about people finding out for themselves about the situation.
They are fact-finding visits where we see checkpoints, refugee camps, settlements and the wall and we meet Palestinians and Israelis – including activists and politicians – and we get briefings from the United Nations and non-governmental organisations.
Participants from recent visits said:
“An unforgettable, life-changing experience, steeped in a shared history, politics and social in]justice of the region.” Nora A
“As someone who has been aware of the Israel/Palestine issue for a while, but didn’t know nearly enough, the trip exposed me to so many different facets and nuances of the situation that meant I was about to learn so much in a short space of time.” Tim
“It is an overwhelming and emotional experience and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend the trip!” Mariam
Our groups are usually between 10 and 15. The visit is 5 days long. We charge just enough to cover hotels, transport inside Israel and Palestine, guides and breakfasts and lunches. We do not cover flights to and from Israel or evening meals. Typically flights cost about £200 – £300 return.
Since we started in 2011, we have organised 33 delegations for over 400 people. The great majority of our delegates are members of the public who simply want to go and see the situation for themselves and make up their own minds. But we have taken a lot of people who are interested or actively involved in politics, including 15 MPs, 25 parliamentary researchers, 60 councillors and various members of the European Parliament and the London Assembly.
Our three priorities are to provide our delegates with high-quality briefings that enable them to understand a very complex situation, to give them the chance to experience the effect of the occupation on Palestinians at first hand and to do so in a way that prioritises their safety and security, accompanying them at all times with British organisers and experienced Israeli or Palestinian guides.
Although it’s not a holiday, we do see a few of the best-known sights, such as the Old City of Jerusalem (including the Western wall), the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem and Abraham’s tomb in Hebron. There is an opportunity if you are Muslim to join Friday prayers at the Al Aqsa mosque. Many people stay on for a couple of days at the end of the visit to do some more sightseeing, such as Jericho,Tel Aviv, Nazareth or the Dead Sea.
Our next planned visits are in October, November and January. If you are interested in joining one of these visits or you would like to hear more, please get in touch with me by email to info@t2ptravel.com or ring our office.
We will give you a briefing – in person in possible – and ask you for a deposit to secure a place. The cost of these visits is currently only £690 with a £50 reduction if you share a room and another £50 if you are a student.