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Arriving At Ben Gurion Airport

Whether you’re new to traveling or a seasoned explorer, the moment of clicking the “book flight now” button to Palestine is always thrilling. Some may feel nervous and hesitate to press that button. But for those who go ahead, book a flight, and make the effort to reach Palestine via Tel Aviv airport, you’re in for a warm welcome and an intriguing journey. It’s the kind of experience that will make you want to come back again and again.

Questioning at Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv) is the Main Concern

Travelers, volunteers, interns, tourists, or students wanting to come to Palestine via Tel Aviv are mainly concerned about how to physically reach the destination. Palestine doesn’t have its airports due to Israeli control over borders and access. The most direct way to get here is by flying through Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel. Yes, Palestine is currently a country within a country!

Arriving at any airport involves queues, questions, and delays, which can be frustrating, especially if you’re tired after a long journey. However, arriving in Tel Aviv Israel can be more frustrating than these normal hassles, so it’s best to be prepared.

When you arrive at the Tel Aviv airport, you may encounter a large queue of people waiting to pass through security. They might stop and question you about your trip (they stop some internationals, while many others don’t get stopped at all).

Questions at Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv)

These questions are about why you’re visiting Israel and some details about your stay. Show the security personnel your invitation letter and explain the reasons for your visit to Israel (Palestine):

Visiting famous places in Israel (Which is true, you will go to visit some places in Israel).
Traveling to Hebron to Learn Arabic for Internship in Palestine.

There is a possibility that you may also be asked other questions, for example:

Why you would want to visit the Palestinian Autonomous Territories?
If you have any connections to Muslims and/or a Muslim background?
If you know any Israeli people?
Why you are visiting Israel and not another country?
Some details about your life, etc.
Repeating the same questions

They may repeat the same questions multiple times (5 or 10 times), and the questions may seem intrusive and intimidating. However, it’s important to answer them honestly and patiently.

Stop and Question Younger People

It is worth mentioning that Israeli security tends to stop and question younger people (18-35) more than older people (above 35 years). They believe younger people may be more inclined to participate in political actions than older people.

In rare cases, they may stop you for a couple of hours. If this does happen to you—and remember, it rarely does—do not get stressed. It does not mean that they will not issue you a visa or deport you.

The security personnel want to make sure that you are not going to participate in any political actions. Just have patience and remain friendly and you’ll soon be issued your 3 months visa.

As a precaution, avoid telling people on the plane about your plans to travel to Palestine. The plane will most likely be full of Israelis, so having this type of conversation could cause controversy before you have even arrived. It will also certainly not benefit you at the airport.

Have a Name of a Hostel or a Hotel in Israel

Additionally, it’s a good idea to have the name of a hostel or hotel inside Israel that you intend to stay when you arrive, even if you do not plan to stay there. We also recommend that you mention and name some places in Israel that you intend to visit during your time in Palestine and Israel.

There have been some cases of Israeli border police ordering people to open their phones and laptops to find out more information about them. Before you arrive, go through your luggage and your phone and delete anything related to the Politics of Palestine and Israel if there is any. This includes text messages, Internet history, and emails, etc. This may sound overly cautious, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.

They may ask you how long you intend to stay. Therefore, if you are staying for more than a couple of weeks you may want to consider changing your return flight when you have arrived through border control and are sure of your plans. Alternatively, you can say that you are traveling via Jordan, upon your return, and therefore for not yet have a return flight booked.

After passing through security, you will be issued a 3 months tourist visa. This allows you to visit and travel in and around Palestine and Israel.

Getting a Visa to Palestine and Israel

Congratulations, you have almost made it to Palestine (Around 3 hours by a shared Taxi and you will be in Hebron)! It’s important to keep the visa safely with you at all times. It’s a good idea to have it stapled to your passport rather than wedged into a wallet. This is to avoid any disasters involving your Embassy and Israeli bureaucracy.

After collecting your luggage you have several transport options. You can take a bus, a train, or a sherut (shared taxi) from outside the front of the airport, to Palestine. A sherut should cost just 30 NIS (New Israeli Sheqel) and will take you to Jerusalem. This is your gateway to Palestine. Here buses leave regularly for Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Jericho.

In conclusion

The only way to travel to Palestine is through Tel Aviv, Israel. It controls all borders and issues visas for visitors. When you arrive at the security check, they might ask you some questions. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean they will deny your visa for three months. Many international travelers pass through without any questions or delays.

Based on our experiences at Internship in Palestine, we have hosted over 1200 people from around the world, and 99% receive a visa on arrival without any issues. If you’re traveling to Palestine/Israel for the first time, we assure you that 99.9% of you will get a tourist visa.

While the procedure might sound complicated and a bit daunting, it’s quite simple. Just be patient, and you’ll find this arrival experience to be fascinating. This is just the beginning of the learning you’ll experience during your rewarding stay here.