Getting in West Bank - Welcome To Palestine (2024)

FAQs

Getting in West Bank - Welcome To Palestine? ›

GETTING INTO THE WEST BANK. Access to the West Bank is only possible via either Israel or Jordan. The most common routes are the Qalandia checkpoint – between Jerusalem and Ramallah – or the Allenby Bridge checkpoint in the Jordan Valley.

We also advise do not travel to the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) due to the volatile security situation. You should also reconsider whether you need remain in Israel, and if not, depart when it's safe to do so. Keep your travel documents up to date and secure at all times.

Until January 1, 2025, U.S. citizens who are not West Bank residents can use their U.S. passport to enter the West Bank for business or tourism purposes for stays of up to 90 days without a visa. For more information, visit this Israeli government webpage: Entry of Palestinian-American Tourists into Israel.

Israeli citizens are not allowed to enter area A (fully controlled by the Palestinian Authority), and it is not recommended for them to enter area B. Israeli citizens are allowed freedom of movement in area C and along all main West Bank roads which connect Israeli settlements to each other and to Israel.

GETTING INTO PALESTINE

If you wish to enter or exit either of the territories, be you foreign or Palestinian, you will first have to successfully pass through checkpoints controlled by the Israeli military. There are no direct flights to either the West Bank or Gaza.

Reconsider travel due to terrorism and civil unrest. The security situation remains unpredictable, and U.S. citizens are reminded to remain vigilant and take appropriate steps to increase their security awareness as security incidents, including mortar and rocket fire, often take place without warning.

Restricting movement is one of the main tools Israel employs to enforce its regime of occupation. Israel imposes restrictions on the movement of Palestinians within the West Bank, and travel between it and the Gaza Strip, into East Jerusalem, Israel, and abroad.

Gaza is not open to individuals wishing to travel or explore the region per say, but to those with a connection to international organisations or journalists, for example. In order to gain access to Gaza, you must have a legitimate reason to enter before you can apply for either an Israeli or Egyptian travel permit.

Tourists with passports outside the Middle East have no problem entering or exiting Ramallah. Make sure to have your passport and visa stamp with you.

Palestinians and tourists can cross although Palestinians must line up in different lines than the tourists. It is the only way Palestinians can leave the occupied West Bank to travel anywhere. Israeli citizens cannot pass through here. They go to the Yitzhak Rabin or Jordan River crossings.

Do any Israelis live in the West Bank? ›

The city of Hebron in the West Bank – an important city for Jews, Muslims, and Christians as the site of the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs – is divided into two separate areas: area H1 under PA control and area H2, where approximately 800 Israeli settlers live and where internal security, public order, and ...

Since 2005, Israelis and Jewish settlers are not allowed to travel in and out of Gaza freely. Foreigners are not subject to those restrictions but must obtain permits from Israeli authorities.

Gaza Strip - AVOID ALL TRAVEL

Avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing military operation. If you are in the Gaza Strip, shelter in a secure place until it's safe for you to leave. Due to infrastructure damage, there are connectivity problems in the Gaza Strip, including to internet services.

Israel allows tourists from every single nation, even those that do not recognize Israel. Every nationality is allowed to enter Israel, but some need a visa approved in advance. Check out our article on visas to Israel to see which type of visa you'll need for your journey.

Foreigners can visit Palestine, but entry requirements may vary. Travelers typically enter through Israel, and it's crucial to check and comply with Israeli entry regulations. Additionally, obtaining the necessary permits to enter certain areas in Palestine, such as the West Bank, is important.

Visitors who enter via Allenby Bridge-King Hussein border crossing and make their connections to the West Bank or plans to travel to the West Bank may be given an entry stamp that permits travel only in Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of the West Bank.

Ramallah boasts a huge expatriate community with many US and international organizations setting up their head offices here. It is an area known to be street safe with very low crime rates. It is also known to be safe for girls, and common for them to be walking in town in pairs.

First of all, volunteering in the West Bank, with its capital based at Ramallah, just outside Jerusalem, is perfectly safe. The Gaza Strip, on the other hand, is under Israeli blockade and violence flares regularly. Unless you have specialist skills, no organisation will allow you to volunteer in the Gaza Strip.

West Bank Palestinian residents of the West Bank can travel abroad only via Allenby Bridge. As a rule, travel through Allenby Bridge does not require previous coordination. They can travel either with an ID card and an "exit card" or with a Palestinian passport.

Israelis living in the West Bank are subject to Israeli law and Israeli legislation and military ordinances enacted by the Israeli military commanders, whereas Palestinians living in the West Bank are subject primarily to Israeli military ordinances.