Palestine and the Palestinians: A Guidebook [Paperback]

As this, one of the first Palestinian-oriented guidebooks, illustrates, Palestine possesses an ancient history, a rich society, exceptional tourist sites and a vital contemporary culture - all of which deserve to be promoted. This is a vital aim of the Alternative Tourism Group. Besides offering educational and tourist materials and programmes, the ATG strives to help develop the Palestinian tourism industry as a whole, notably by diffusing information on tours covering all aspects of Palestinian life. The idea of a tourist guidebook was born from the feeling that travelers to Palestine lacked essential information and a "Palestinian Voice". Our objective is to produce a professional, comprehensive and attractive guide to Palestinian life and sites. The guidebook is based on the contemporary approach of cultural tourism, which shifts the emphasis from merely visiting sites with a purely historical and impersonal narrative to creating opportunities for establishing contact between visitors and the local population. Palestine’s history and its cultural patrimony go well beyond the religious sites (though an integral part of the visit, too). Cultural tourism facilitates meetings between individuals, specifically among visitors and their hosts, and it explores their hosts’ history, as well as their social, political, cultural and environmental realities.

In this guidebook, as in all our activities, we endeavour to present Palestine from "the inside." The guidebook therefore covers such key topics as the Land, its geography and resources; Palestinian history from prehistoric times until the present day; Palestinian society in all its diversity; the holy and historical sites, sites of contemporary importance (neighbourhoods, villages, the destroyed villages of 1948, refugee camps and Israeli settlements); and contemporary culture. It contains information to facilitate encounters with the local population (including addresses of organisations, institutions and resource people), as well as practical information on internal travel, food, personal safety and the like. Not satisfying itself with simply providing long lists of sites, restaurants, hotels, taxis, and museums, the expertise of the ATG is harnessed to promote encounters of high quality, all carefully designed to connect with their particular agendas.

We at the ATG, together with all the people who contributed to this guidebook and who eagerly await your visit, would like you to consider the book you are holding as a personal invitation to come and visit Palestine. We realise that the tragic political conflict that has engulfed us hardly encourages tourism, but it is precisely at this time that your visit will be most appreciated and welcomed. In the midst of the conflict you will discover a truly warm and hospitable people inhabiting a fascinating and significant country, ingeniously finding ways to live in the midst of conflict.

We would like to thank the organisations who have supported this important project, in particular "CCFD" Catholic Committee Against Hunger and for Development in France and Firedoll Foundation in USA. We are also grateful to all the people who have helped and invested a lot of time in preparing the first edition of the English guidebook, especially Angela Godfrey, Carol Scheller-Doyle, Dr. Walid Shomali, and Bailasan, as well as the ATG staff (Ayman Abu Zulof, Samer Kokaly, Jawad Musleh), and others who must excuse us for not mentioning their names, who have all helped in bringing this book to fruition by translation, collation and updating of information, editing, designing, providing its photos, maps and all other forms of information.

We are proud of this guidebook, which we see as another step towards an independent Palestine that will find its rightful place among the peoples of the world. We hope you appreciate its significance as much as you learn from it. We look forward to seeing you in our country, to hosting you, and to hearing your comments on both our tours and this guidebook.

Salaam, In Peace.

Tel: +9722 2772151
Fax: +9722 2772211
Email: info@atg.ps