Is it possible to visit Hebron and Mearat Hamachpela nowadays?

Is it possible for a Jewish tourist? Is there anything important I should know?

Best Answer

It is possible. You can get to Kiryat Arba by public transportation from Jerusalem (Egged central bus station, DO NOT take any Arab transportation from the old city), and you can get to the site in Hebron from Kiryat Arba, in an organized manner, under IDF/Police protection.

You may be able to find organized tours from Jerusalem or other central locations in Israel, ask the receptionist in the hotel you'd be staying at.

DO NOT go to Hebron on your own, especially if you're Jewish. While a "regular" tourist can probably go through the Palestinian areas without much trouble, Jews are known to have been extracted by the police (either the Israeli or the Palestinian, or both) due to them being in a life threatening situation in PA areas. For Israelis its illegal to enter the PA areas, for Jews who are not Israelis it may be legal, but definitely not safe.

The Wikitravel article is NOT a good source of information for traveling in the West Bank. It has no consideration whatsoever for the security threats in the area, for reasons far beyond me.

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Is it safe to visit Hebron?

The Palestinian areas of Hebron are also relatively safe. However, in the closed military zone in the H2 area of Hebron (around Ash-Shuhada Street and the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs), there is a risk of a hostile reaction from members of extremist settler groups.

Where is Hebron in modern day?

Hebron is located 20 miles south of Jerusalem in the West Bank. With a population of 200,000+ Palestinians and around 1,000 Israeli settlers, Hebron is the biggest city in the Palestinian territory. Its name in both Hebrew (Hevron) and Arabic (Al-Khalil) translates to "friend."

What is the name of Hebron now?

Hebron (Arabic: \u0627\u0644\u062e\u0644\u064a\u0644 \u0623\u0648 \u0627\u0644\u062e\u0644\u064a\u0644 \u0627\u0644\u0631\u062d\u0645\u0646 al-Khal\u012bl or al-Khalil al-Rahman; Hebrew: \u05d7\u05b6\u05d1\u05b0\u05e8\u05d5\u05b9\u05df \u1e24evr\u014dn) is a Palestinian city in the southern West Bank, 30 kilometres (19 mi) south of Jerusalem....HebronUNESCO World Heritage SiteOfficial nameHebron/Al-Khalil Old TownCriteriaCultural: ii, iv, viReference156528 more rows

Is Hebron worth visiting?

If you ever visit Israel, and especially if you go to Jerusalem, you should make it a point to pay a visit to Hebron, West Bank. Though most people go to places like Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jericho and the Jordan River, I actually recommend visiting this city, one of the most contested in the conflict.

A Tour of Hebron and The Tomb of The Patriarchs

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Mateusz Sałaciak, SHVETS production, Spencer Davis, SHVETS production