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I realize this is forum is about Dubai but since many of you seem to be well traveled I have a question. I’m going to be going down to Palestine for work and would really like some insight from people that have been there.

I’ve read all the travel warnings, watched the news but really looking for some first hand experiences. What to watch out for? What currencies to keep in my wallet? Percentage of population who speak English? (i have very remidial Arabic) Etc.

Also since it is a chance to see a part of the world not too many people get to I’m hoping to take a couple days off and explore so anything you guys would recommend seeing?

I’ll be based in Nablus while I’m there.

Any input you can offer is appreciated.

fayz wrote:I realize this is forum is about Dubai but since many of you seem to be well traveled I have a question. I’m going to be going down to Palestine for work and would really like some insight from people that have been there.

I’ve read all the travel warnings, watched the news but really looking for some first hand experiences. What to watch out for? What currencies to keep in my wallet? Percentage of population who speak English? (i have very remidial Arabic) Etc.

Also since it is a chance to see a part of the world not too many people get to I’m hoping to take a couple days off and explore so anything you guys would recommend seeing?

I’ll be based in Nablus while I’m there. Well as well as i know , they are not good at english

Any input you can offer is appreciated.

why do u not contact with Israeli intelligence ? As well as Nablus is concerned most of the people have TOEFL and IELTS . So atleast they can understand and write . As well as the matter of spoken english is concerned .......i think they manage a conversation at small extent .

Well u dont need to put money but stone in pocket to throw at Israeli army

Well i will miss u habibi ........dont leave me alone wid dodo at dubaiforums

poor me..what have i ever done to u HP??!!!

anyways fayz...what kinda work r u gonna do there?..i think its a great oppertunity... but be careful..how long r u gonna be staying there??

D-Unit wrote:anyways fayz...what kinda work r u gonna do there?..i think its a great oppertunity... but be careful..how long r u gonna be staying there??

Thanks I’m really pumped about the trip, it should be great but yeah I’ll definitely have to be careful.

I’m going for a week, helping the stock exchange there, a bit of support work while they upgrade. I’m flying into Jordan and then taking a cab to the border (King Hussein bridge). I decided that this would be a bit better for me with my name then going into Tel Aviv.

I was in Palestine in July. I spent the month in Jerusalem though and not Nablus. Cant wait to go back .. I envy you !

Try not to let the Israeli border officer to stamp your passport but rather stamp it on a seperate peice of paper. While the UAE doesnt relaly care if you have an Israeli visa/stamp on your passport other countries in the region such as Saudi, Syria and lebanon do care and you will not be allowed in and/or interrogated for hours and anally raped before let go .. so ya try not to let them do that, if they do you can always renew your passport ofcourse.


> What to watch out for?

Really as any other place in the world, people might want to take advantage of you when they find out your a foreigner. so just watch out for that try not to get ripped off with cabs and so on. If you can have a local be with you it would probably be better.

> What currencies to keep in my wallet?

Israeli shekel, American Dollar, Jordanian dinar are the three main currencies in order of popularity.

> Percentage of population who speak English?

most people will know basic english so you will be able to get by. the younger generation has better english. However on the Israeli side (especially those retarded checkpoint soldiers) speak nothing other than hebrew. so you might get into communication issues when your crossing a checkpoint.

> I’m hoping to take a couple days off and explore so anything you guys > would recommend seeing?

Jerusalem , Jerusalem , Jerusalem .. i know its a bit of a venture from Nablus to Jerusalem especially with the checkpoints and all .. but hopefully there wont be a closure when u are there and u can go down. dont miss out on visting Jerusalem .. If you need me to put you in touch with someone there to take u around and what not just let me know ..

The coast (Tel Aviv/Haifa/Yafa/Netanya) is beautiful too, but its winter now and i am not sure how much u will enjoy it .. Jericho is warmer now and u can check out the dead sea .. but the Jordanian side of the dead sea to tell u the truth is much nicer than the West bank side.

jeez this turned out to be a long post, but anyway if you have anymore questions .. feel free to ask !

A long post maybe but greatly appreciated, this was exactly the info I was looking for thank you very much.

MaaaD wrote:Try not to let the Israeli border officer to stamp your passport but rather stamp it on a seperate peice of paper. While the UAE doesnt relaly care if you have an Israeli visa/stamp on your passport other countries in the region such as Saudi, Syria and lebanon do care and you will not be allowed in and/or interrogated for hours and anally raped before let go .. so ya try not to let them do that, if they do you can always renew your passport ofcourse.

I heard this as well, What I heard from people who've done the trek and did get stamped in their passport was if you have a letter from the company in Palestine you were working for "justifying" your visit they will still harass you but will use lube

Thanks again,

no problemo .. when are you going ?

Do NOT visit Israel proper (Haifa, Tel Aviv, Western Jerusalem, etc...)... You will be pumping money into the tourism sector of a maveric terrorist nation.

MaaaD wrote:no problemo .. when are you going ?

I'll be there mid-Jan

I'm back....

Thanks again Maaad, I was able to make it to Jerusalem which meant a great deal to me. Those checkpoints were annoying and I found the one explosion at a checkpoint and the coffee boy having a glock a bit disturbing but overall I never felt in danger.

The Palestinian people were great, super friendly, helpful and kind. It is the people that make the place amazing. I hope to make it back one day when I’m not stuck working 16 hour days.

few days back i was watching a Documentary about these check posts. Israeli soldiers were quite young and one of them was asking the doc.team to have a picture with him and then he told the documentary team that he miss his mother and he wants to go back in his home.

Pakistan still doesnt have any official relationship wid Israel. It is written on our passport" valid for all countries except Israel" . Well to be honest our Govt doesnt care but they always need the money from oil rich arab state so they dont want to have any relationship wid Israel.

i think that all muslims countries and Israel should come to-geather and then they can solve this issue better instead of having pre-talk conditions.

HP wrote:few days back i was watching a Documentary about these check posts. Israeli soldiers were quite young and one of them was asking the doc.team to have a picture with him and then he told the documentary team that he miss his mother and he wants to go back in his home.

Pakistan still doesnt have any official relationship wid Israel. It is written on our passport" valid for all countries except Israel" . Well to be honest our Govt doesnt care but they always need the money from oil rich arab state so they dont want to have any relationship wid Israel.

i think that all muslims countries and Israel should come to-geather and then they can solve this issue better instead of having pre-talk conditions.

In 2002 the Arab summit in Beirut issued a statement saying that Israel can have genuine 100% peace in return for a return to its 1967 borders. Israel said fcuk off... How genuine is their desire for peace? Not bloody genuine at all...

No problemo fayz, got any pics to share ?