Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship:
This program is ideal for students of law, the social sciences, and human rights, and for anyone interested in the Palestinian legal system as it operates in the West Bank. Interns can enroll for a period of from 1 to 13 weeks, year-round. The Palestinian Laws program aims to provide a full understanding of legislation applying to the West Bank and Gaza.
During the legal internship program, interns will visit local Palestinian lawyers, law faculties, courts, human rights organizations, legal religious institutions, and legal clinics. They will witness the enactment of laws, the decision-making process, and court rulings. They will also witness legal negotiations, and mediations in a variety of social settings.
Intern in Palestine’s internship in Palestinian Law and Legal Practices is designed to create dialogue between participants and Palestinian legal experts. It is also designed to introduce them to one of the world’s most complex legal systems. The internship program will allow them to learn about Palestinian and Humanitarian law. It will also offer them insight into some of the issues concerning both Palestine and Israel.
The legal internship in Palestine covers the following laws:
- Israeli Military Law
- Religious Law
- British Law
- Egyptian Law
- Jordanian Law
- Customary Law
- Ottoman Law
- Palestinian Traditional Law (Arabic Rights)
Interns participating in this legal internship program will have the opportunity to immerse themselves in Palestinian culture. This includes daily life, politics, human rights, and legal spaces in the city of Hebron, Palestine. Arabic lessons, totaling three hours per week, will be provided to participants, and they will be given the chance to visit various sites. Females may also have the option to stay with a Palestinian host family. Additionally, all participants will receive full support during their time in Hebron.
Looking for a Summer Legal Internship?
The Palestinian Law and Legal Practices Internship would be ideal for those who are looking for a legal internship in Palestine, the West Bank, Israel, the Middle East, or the wider Arabic world during the summer months. Interns will have the unique opportunity to enjoy Palestine, its people, and culture during the internship program.
The summer Palestinian Law internship program is ideal for students on a summer break. It can be for anyone looking to intern during an extended visit to the region of Palestine and Israel. The summer legal internship in the West Bank, Palestine combines an Arabic language focus with a full immersion and engagement in Palestinian culture, politics, and history. It includes visits to Bedouin areas (Susiya), Palestinian refugee camps, local villages, and community centers.
Interested in Legal Internships in the West Bank?
Intern in Palestine in Hebron, Palestine offers its Palestinian Law and Legal Practices Internship program to those who are interested in law internships in the West Bank. This internship would be ideal if you want to gain experience or are interested in pursuing a career in law. Additionally, it’s suitable for those who are already enrolled as law or pre-law students. For those interested in diplomacy, this internship would be a great opportunity for them to gain experience in a delicate and high-stakes environment. This legal internship program also offers opportunities for those interested in humanitarian work, human rights, religious law, and women’s rights.
Interns will work in a law/policy-oriented environment. The Internship also involves much fieldwork, community outreach, and cross-cultural communication. This program can provide valuable experience for those considering an academic career in law, human rights advocacy, or the social sciences. It can also be valuable for those interested in human rights work in Palestine.
If you would like to learn more about the law, human rights, politics, diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and interpersonal relations, this program is for you. It offers the opportunity to explore Palestine and contribute to a worthy cause.
This program would suit those interested in the following:
- Academic careers
- Legal Internships in Palestine
- Internship programs in human rights and law in the West Bank
- Communications work
- The politics of Israel and Palestine
- Gaining University credits
- Contributing to an important cause
Who Can Participate?
Intern in Palestine does not discriminate on any basis. This includes a person’s nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other basis. Furthermore, Intern in Palestine has a long history of welcoming people from around the globe.
Participants have visited Intern in Palestine from the following countries: The United Kingdom, the United States of America, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil, Mexico, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Australia, Japan, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, Ireland, China and New Zealand!
What you need to intern in Palestine:
- To be 18 years of age or over
- To have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn about Palestine
- To have an interest in meeting people in Palestine
- An ability to communicate in English
- Willingness to be a part of a family in Hebron, Palestine
What you don’t need to intern in Palestine:
- The ability to speak Arabic
- Travel experience
- To be a native English speaker
- An educational degree
- Experience in teaching English
- To be studying full-time
Palestinian Laws and Legal System
The Palestinian legal system is an incredibly intricate one. It is comprised of components from other legal systems that reflect Palestine’s complex and diverse history.
The Palestinian legal system borrows components from Muslim customary/common law (those laws associated with Sharia Law). It also borrows from Ottoman, British, Jordanian, and Egyptian law, and Israeli military law. It also includes elements of the contemporary Palestinian Authority’s Basic Law. Finally, the Palestinian community also refers to something called Arabic Rights which are considered “traditional” and contain elements of the aforementioned laws from different periods.
The aspects of the law that are observed at any time depend on the specific area of Palestine one resides in. This is whether it be the Israeli-controlled regions of the West Bank and Jerusalem. This could also be the Gaza Strip, or the area of the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority.
Each specific region of Palestine is influenced both by its history and geography. For example, the Gaza Strip’s legal system is heavily influenced by Egyptian law. However, the West Bank finds its legal systems influenced by Jordanian law.
What is the Dominant Law in Hebron, Palestine?
The City of Hebron is located in the southern West Bank of Palestine. Therefore, it is subject to the laws of the Palestinian Authority as well as Israeli military law. As a consequence of its being under imperial and colonial rule in the past, it has laws that date from other historical periods of Palestine. These include Sharia Law, Ottoman Law, British Law, and Jordanian Law.
Internship Program Outline
The Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship will focus on several key strands. It will also allow interns to participate in some other optional ones, as outlined below:
- Learning about Palestinian laws, how they operate, and the humanitarian circumstances of Palestine.
- Meeting with legal experts, human rights organizations, legal institutions, Palestinian law students, and faculty members of the law department.
- Arabic language and cultural immersion.
- Introduction to legal manuals, scripts, and historical material (optional)
- Interning with Palestinian lawyers (dependent on the duration of stay)
Workshops for Palestinian Law Students
International visitors at Intern in Palestine with legal expertise may conduct educational workshops for Palestinian law students. This can be either at Intern in Palestine or in local universities in the city of Hebron.
Interning with Palestinian Lawyers
Exposure to the Palestinian legal system will give participants a unique insight into how it functions. As a consequence, some interns may decide to pursue a career in law themselves.
Please Note: Interning with Palestinian lawyers is only available to those who are enrolled with Intern in Palestine for at least one month.
Learning about Palestinian Legal Systems
Another segment of the legal internship focuses on participants being educated about Palestinian legal systems and their role in human rights law, and on the critical role these play in the West Bank. The interns will learn all about the diversity, complex structure, and modes of operation of the legal system.
This will entail the interns visiting Palestinian law firms and lawyers’ offices. It will also involve speaking to law students and local law professors. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to discuss the issues of Palestine and the role of the legal system in dealing with them. This level of immersion in Palestinian law will provide participants with a well-rounded understanding of the legal system in Palestine and its importance.
Benefits of the Legal Internship in Palestine
Participants of the Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship Program in Hebron will be provided with:
- 12 hours of conversational Palestinian Arabic lessons for each month they intern. Participants can also study MSA, Fusha, or colloquial Arabic.
- Accommodation with a Palestinian host family or in a shared flat
- Access to the hospitality of Palestinians and the pleasant climate
- Breakfast with other participants (6 times a week)
- Visits to various sites in Hebron (refugee camps, law faculty, human rights organizations, and the Old City)
- An understanding of Palestinian law and an experience of the occupation of the West Bank, Palestine
- An overview of the human rights situation and an opportunity to help Palestinian refugees.
- Educational, community, and social activities
- The chance to visit unique tourist attractions from a particularly native perspective. Locations include Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarm, Qalqilyah, Jenin, and the Dead Sea in Jericho.
- Access to nearby cities such as Akko, Herzliya, Beersheva, Eilat, Tiberias, Netanya, Safed, Haifa, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Masada, Amman, Aqaba, Wadi Rum, and Nazareth.
- A certificate upon completion
Arabic Language and Cultural Immersion
The third portion of the program relates to Arabic language and cultural immersion. When enrolled with Intern in Palestine, participants will be provided with 3 hours of Arabic language instruction per week. These courses are designed in such a way as to provide participants with opportunities to interact with locals and find their way around the City of Hebron. Interns will also further immerse themselves in Arabic culture and language.
Participants will also have the opportunity to visit areas of political significance. This includes refugee camps, where they will witness firsthand the humanitarian impact of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Interacting with Palestinian Culture
Interns will find that the majority of Palestinian people are incredibly friendly, hospitable, and open to foreigners. If participants utilize their Arabic skills, no matter how well developed, they will find that most Palestinians are enthusiastic and patient communicators. They will be delighted to find that people have taken an interest in their language and culture.
Palestine is located at the heart of the Levant. This is the area associated with the eastern Mediterranean which is the cradle of three world religions. This means interns will have ample opportunities to visit cultural sights, historical monuments, and other landmarks. Palestine has and continues to face difficult circumstances. However, participants will find that the Palestinian people are friendly and open and that Hebron itself is a safe place to learn and intern!
Program Overview:
| Place of Internship Program | Hebron, West Bank, Palestine |
| Program Fees | 350€ (Euro) per Week |
| Age | 18-75 Years Old |
| Minimum Duration | 1 Week |
| Maximum Duration | 13 Weeks |
| Arabic Lessons per Week | 3 Hours |
| Class Duration | 45 Minutes |
| Number of Participants | 1-5 |
| Internship Focus | Palestinian Laws Legal practices in Palestine Humanitarian Laws Legal Systems in the West Bank Human Rights in Palestine |
| Suitable for | Law Students Social Science Students Lawyers People Interested in Palestinian Law Humanitarian Aid Workers |
| Start/End Dates | Flexible – Anytime |
| Application Deadline | No Deadline |
| University Credit | Available |
| Program Language | English |
| Tel Aviv Airport Pickup | Available (Fee applies) |
Program Costs and Information
Intern in Palestine charges 350 Euros a week, with the stated costs covering the following expenses below. There is a registration fee of 30€, payable at the time of registration. Furthermore, the program prices listed on this webpage are the complete and final cost students will pay.
Program Fees Cover:
- Pre-departure and in-country support
- Accommodation
- Language courses
- Center’s operating costs
- Breakfast (Mon – Fri)
- Group excursions within Hebron
- Certificate of completion
What Language is the Program Run in?
We have geared our programs toward English speakers. However, and for the sake of immersion, the higher the course level the less English will be utilized during the program.
Duration of the Internship in Palestine
Intern in Palestine accepts applications for the Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship year-round. Individuals looking to intern with our organization can join for periods ranging from 1 to 13 weeks. Participants in this internship program will decide when they would like to start and end their program. We are very flexible with starting dates and with the duration of the internship.
Do I Need a Visa to Intern in the West Bank?
Most of our international participants get a tourist visa for three months when they fly to Israeli airports or cross from Jordan to the West Bank.
Generally, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, and most Europeans to enter Palestine. But, please refer to the visa exemption agreement for further information. Upon your arrival at the Israeli Airports in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days. This is sufficient for participation in the Excellence Center’s programs and to enable you to travel around Palestine and Israel easily.
Safety of our Volunteers and Interns
The region of Palestine is perpetually unstable. While there is always unrest and war, the situation sometimes becomes more volatile. Nonetheless, each year millions of tourists visit Palestine and the West Bank, including Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Tulkarem, Nablus, and many other cities without any safety issues. Palestinians in general are a welcoming and hospitable people and they recognize the politics of a country may differ from its people.
Since its formation in 2011, the Excellence Center has welcomed over 1,000 international visitors. These visitors have lived and worked in Hebron for weeks or months at a time. Overall, they never faced any threats or safety issues while in Hebron or the West Bank in general.
Moreover, the Excellence Center and Intern in Palestine is situated in an area of Hebron which is under the Palestinian authority and in the heart of the city. Our Palestinian host families and the male dorms are located near the Center as well.
Awards And Recognitions
Intern in Palestine has welcomed people from 40 different countries since 2011. For our influence on foreign visitors, we got our inaugural “Go Overseas Community Choice Awards” in 2019. Most recently, we were selected as one of the “Best Places to Teach Abroad, Top Spots for Volunteering Abroad, Greatest Language Schools, and Best Internship Abroad Providers of 2023” by Go Overseas. Connecting, educating, and advancing people within the local and global communities continues to be our mission.
Intern in Palestine is well-known for its cultural immersion, welcoming staff and environment, and dedication to debunking myths about Palestine and Palestinians. If you are interested in Palestinian culture and want to visit the West Bank, please read our program reviews to see whether Internship in Palestine is the right organization for you.
- +740 reviews (94%) on gooverseas.com
- +120 reviews (96%) on goabroad.com
- Video testimonials
Traveling to Hebron, Palestine
Intern in Palestine has compiled a vast amount of information for those wishing to travel to Hebron in an efficient, safe, and practical manner. Please read our articles below on flying to Palestine, getting to Hebron, planning your trip, and Israeli/Palestinian taxi services.
- How to fly to Palestine
- How to get to Hebron, Palestine
- Planning your trip to Palestine
- How to get from the Ben Gurion Airport (Israel) to Hebron
Tel Aviv Airport Pickups
Intern in Palestine staff can organize a taxi to pick you up at Ben Gurion Airport. It will take you straight to Hebron and the Center. This is the easiest and fastest way (about an hour, 60 km/37 miles) to get to Intern in Palestine.
Additional fees (about 170 Euros) apply to this trip. Please contact Intern in Palestine’s staff if you are interested in this option.
Summary
The Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship in Hebron offers a unique opportunity to understand Palestine’s legal systems and their role in humanitarian causes. Participants engage with various aspects of Palestinian law, gaining practical knowledge while exploring its cultural and historical context. Interns will working closely with local professionals. They will address critical issues like human rights violations and land disputes, while also developing research and analytical skills.
This program caters to individuals aspiring for careers in law, diplomacy, or humanitarian aid. It provides invaluable experiences and insights that equip them to contribute meaningfully to global challenges. It’s a dynamic platform where participants immerse themselves in Palestinian culture. This makes their stay enriching and unforgettable, ultimately fostering personal and professional growth.
Overall, this nternship program offers a unique and impactful opportunity for individuals passionate about law, diplomacy, and humanitarian aid. Participants gain valuable insights, skills, and experiences that equip them to make a meaningful difference in the world.
How to Apply
If you are interested in participating in our internship, please, write to us at Info@ecpalestine.org.
In the subject line of your email write “Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship.” Then, we will send an application form, which you will fill out and return to us to begin the process.
Related Internship Programs
Find us online
For more information, please visit our Excellence Center website.
Volunteer in Palestine
Watch us on Youtube
Whatsapp:+972 599 479 880
Email: Info@ecpalestine.org
