The Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship is an ideal program for students of law, social sciences, or human rights, as well as those interested in the Palestinian legal system in the West Bank. Interns can enroll for a period of 1 to 13 weeks year-round. This legal internship program in Palestine aims to provide a full understanding of the legislation applicable to the West Bank and Gaza.

A Brief Overview Of This Program

The Volunteer in Palestine internship program offers an enriching experience in Palestinian Laws and Legal Practices, fostering dialogue between participants and Palestinian legal experts while introducing them to one of the world’s most intricate legal systems. The program provides a unique opportunity to learn about Palestinian and Humanitarian law, as well as gaining insight into the complex issues surrounding Palestine and Israel.

The legal internship in Palestine covers the following laws:

As a part of this internship program, you will have the opportunity to visit local Palestinian lawyers, law faculties, courts, human rights organizations, legal religious institutions, and legal clinics. Through these visits, you will witness firsthand the enactment of laws, decision-making processes, court rulings, legal negotiations, and mediations in various social contexts.

The legal internship program immerses participants in Palestinian culture, daily life, politics, human rights, and legal spaces of the city of Hebron, Palestine. As a participant, you will receive three hours of Arabic lessons per week and have the chance to visit various sites. Female participants may have the option to stay with a Palestinian host family, while all participants will receive full support throughout their time in Hebron.

Interested in Law Internships in the West Bank?

The Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship program offered by Volunteer in Palestine in Hebron, Palestine is ideal for those interested in law internships in the West Bank. Whether you’re seeking to gain experience in law, pursuing a career in law, or currently enrolled as a law or pre-law student, this internship can provide valuable insight. It’s also an excellent opportunity for those interested in diplomacy to gain experience in a delicate and high-stakes environment. 

This legal internship program provides opportunities for those interested in humanitarian work, human rights, religious law, and women’s rights.

Aside from working in a law/policy-oriented environment, the Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship also involves field work, community outreach, and cross-cultural communication. This program offers valuable experience for those considering an academic career in law, human rights advocacy, or social sciences, as well as those interested in human rights work in Palestine.

If you’re interested in exploring Palestine, contributing to a worthy cause, and learning about law, human rights, politics, diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and interpersonal relations, this program is perfect for you!

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 credit
• Contributing to an important cause

Looking for a Summer Legal Internship?

Our summer Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship is perfect for those seeking a legal internship in Palestine, the West Bank, Israel, the Middle East, or the wider Arabic world during the summer months. As an intern, you’ll have the unique opportunity to immerse yourself in Palestine’s culture, cuisine, and people while gaining hands-on legal experience.

This internship program is ideal for students on summer break or anyone looking to intern during an extended visit to the region. Current students can also receive academic credit towards their studies through our partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education.

The summer legal internship in the West Bank, Palestine offers an Arabic language focus, full immersion, and engagement in Palestinian culture, politics, and history. You’ll visit Bedouin areas (e.g. Susiya), Palestinian refugee camps, local villages, organizations, and community centers. Additionally, you’ll have free time each week to travel to other cities independently or with our other interns, volunteers, or students.

Your Impact

Our Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship Program in Hebron, West Bank is well researched, targeted, and suitable for anyone who wants to gain insights into daily Palestinian life, education, human rights and the legal field. With all our programs, we aim to make a long term difference for the Palestinian local community through the exchange of ideas and “walking in each other’s shoes”. Our programs foster shared and mutual learning, for both our community and our interns. 

During your program, you will not only get the chance to learn and engage with Palestinian legal professionals, but also share your valuable knowledge, skills and passion with members of the community in regards to laws and legal practices. By interning, you have a unique opportunity to make a genuine impact on the local Palestinian community, including refugees, youth and students and it is sure to have a great impact on your life too.

What Language is the Program Run In? 

All our internship programs are designed for English speakers. However, if you have a strong command of Arabic, it will be an advantage for you to communicate with Palestinians during your program.

Who Can Participate?

Volunteer in Palestine welcomes individuals from all around the world and does not discriminate on the basis of nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or any other basis. We have a long history of welcoming participants from diverse backgrounds.

We have welcomed participants from various countries, including 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, China, and New Zealand.

What you need in order 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 in order 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 legal system in Palestine is complex and multifaceted, drawing from various legal traditions that reflect the region’s diverse history.

Palestinian law is a fusion of components from Muslim customary/common law (including those associated with Sharia Law), as well as Ottoman, British, Jordanian, and Egyptian law, and Israeli military law. It also includes elements of the contemporary Palestinian Authority’s Basic Law, and traditional Arabic Rights that contain elements of the aforementioned laws from different periods.

The application of these legal systems varies depending on the specific region of Palestine one resides in, whether it be the Israeli-controlled regions of the West Bank and Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, or the area of the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority. Each region’s legal system is influenced by its unique history and geography. For example, the legal system in the Gaza Strip is heavily influenced by Egyptian law, while the West Bank’s legal system draws from Jordanian law.

What Is The Dominant Law In Hebron, Palestine?

The City of Hebron, located in the southern West Bank of Palestine, is subject to a complex legal system that reflects its diverse and complex history. As with other areas of Palestine, Hebron is subject to the laws of the Palestinian Authority as well as Israeli military law.

However, due to its past imperial and colonial rule, Hebron’s legal system also incorporates elements of other historical periods of Palestine, such as Sharia Law, Ottoman Law, British Law, and Jordanian Law.

Internship Program Outline

The Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship will focus primarily on several key areas, while also offering interns the opportunity to participate in 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

Interns with legal expertise who come to Palestine have the opportunity to conduct educational workshops for Palestinian law students. These workshops can take place either at Volunteer in Palestine’s center or at local universities in the city of Hebron, providing an excellent chance to share your knowledge and experience with eager learners in the field of law.

Interning with Palestinian Lawyers

Interning with Palestinian lawyers provides participants with a unique opportunity to gain insights into how the Palestinian legal system functions. As a result, some interns may be inspired to pursue a career in law themselves.

Please note that this opportunity is only available to those who are enrolled with Volunteer in Palestine for at least one month.

Learning about Palestinian Legal Systems

Another component of the legal internship program focuses on educating participants about the Palestinian legal system and its critical role in human rights law, particularly in the West Bank. Interns will gain an understanding of the legal system’s diversity, complex structure, and modes of operation.

This will involve visits to Palestinian law firms and lawyers’ offices, as well as discussions with law students and local law professors. Interns will also have the opportunity to engage in conversations about Palestine’s issues and the legal system’s role in addressing them. This level of immersion in Palestinian law will provide interns with a comprehensive understanding of the legal system’s significance in Palestine.

Arabic Language Lessons 

The third component of the program is focused on Arabic language and cultural immersion. Participants who enroll with Volunteer in Palestine will receive three hours of Arabic language instruction per week, either one-on-one or in small groups with one of our native Arabic teachers.

Participants have the option to choose between studying Palestinian spoken dialect, Modern Standard Arabic, or a mix of the two. The Arabic courses are designed to provide participants with opportunities to interact with locals, navigate the city of Hebron, and fully immerse themselves in Arabic language and culture.

Cultural Immersion

During your time with us, you will be immersed in Palestinian culture and the Arabic language in your daily life. Additionally, Volunteer in Palestine operates excursions to areas of historical importance in the old city of Hebron, such as the Ibrahimi Mosque.

Participants will also have the opportunity to visit areas of political significance such as refugee camps (where internally-displayed Palestinians live), where they will witness firsthand the humanitarian impact of the Israeli occupation of Palestine. These excursions will allow you to better understand Palestinians as well as the current situation in Palestine.

Accommodation During Your Internship

We provide our internship participants with accommodation in Hebron, West Bank as follows:

• Female participants have the opportunity to live with a designated Palestinian host family in the local Hebron area
• Male participants are able to stay in male dorms that we arrange in Hebron, West Bank, Palestine 

Private rooms can also be arranged, although these naturally come with an additional fee.

A Typical Day At Volunteer In Palestine

The schedule of our volunteers and interns is flexible and is likely to be different each day. Your commitment hours will be around 25-30 hours per week, from around 10am-5pm each day, with two days off per week (Fridays and another day of your choice, though interns usually choose to have Saturdays off). 

Your day begins with a breakfast at our center at 10am and it is shared with teachers, directors, and volunteers from other programs. Sharing breakfast gives you the chance to socialize and try traditional Palestinian foods, for example – hummus and labneh.

After breakfast, your schedule may include your Arabic lessons, visit to local organizations, sightseeing trips in Hebron organized by Volunteer in Palestine as well as your program commitments such as meetings with legal professionals, visits to legal facilities or facilitating workshops for law students.

While breakfast is shared together, you may take a break for lunch whenever you have time in your schedule. It is easy to find supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, falafel and shawarma nearby for your lunch. 

Evenings are usually free, although we will organize occasional optional activities as part of our commitment to showcasing Palestine’s culture. During the evenings, our international participants often arrange to go to a cafe to study or socialize, have dinner at a restaurant together, spend time with their host family (for female volunteers), or go to a local gym.

What Can You Do On Your Days Off?

You will have two days off per week and you are welcome to spend them how you wish. Our center is closed on Fridays as this is the main day off in Palestine. You are free to choose your second day off but our participants generally choose to have Saturday off because Friday and Saturday is the weekend in Palestine. Many of our international participants arrange to visit other cities together during the weekend. This includes, but is not limited to cities such as Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Ramallah, Jericho (and the Dead Sea) Nablus, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Haifa and many more. Traveling around Palestine is relatively easy and affordable.

We understand that traveling to Palestine and Israel is a large attraction for most of our volunteers, therefore we design our volunteer and internship programs to give you plenty of free time to explore the exciting destinations within Palestine and Israel. All of our programs are located in the city of Hebron, Palestine, a beautiful and historic city with many shops, cafes, and other offerings.

Benefits Of The Laws And Legal Practices 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 (or 3 hours per week). Participants can also study MSA, Fus’ha or colloquial Palestinian Arabic.

• Accommodation with a Palestinian host family or in a shared flat

• Breakfast with other participants (6 times a week)

• Support during their time in Palestine

• Visits to various sites in the city of Hebron (refugee camps in Hebron, the law faculty, human rights organizations, the old city and  different factories)

• 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

• Access to the hospitality of Palestinians and to the pleasant climate

• The opportunity to live in and gain impressions from one of the most politically divisive and ambivalent regions of the Middle East

• The chance to visit unique tourist attractions from a particularly native perspective – locations including Bethlehem, Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, Tulkarem, 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

• Tuition by well-qualified, attentive Arabic teachers, each with an excellent educational background, ready and happy to help you

• A certificate upon completion

Duration And Timing Of This Internship In Palestine

Volunteer in Palestine accepts applications for the Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship year-round from individuals interested in interning with our organization for periods ranging from 1 to 13 weeks. Participants in this internship program can choose their start and end dates, and we are very flexible with duration and scheduling.

Program Costs and Information

Volunteer in Palestine charges 1250 Euros a month, or 350 Euros a week, with the stated costs covering the following expenses: language courses, accommodation, breakfast from Saturday to Thursday, group excursions as well as a contribution towards the center’s running costs. 

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

• Arabic classes (3 hours a week)

• Center’s operating costs

• Community breakfast at the center each morning (except Fridays)

• Visits to different institutions in the city of Hebron, e.g. the old city, glass and ceramic factories, local companies, refugee camps, public parks and local universities such as the Palestine Polytechnic University and Hebron University

• Certificate of completion

• Please note there is an additional registration fee of 30€, payable at the time of registration.

General Information on the Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship: 

Traveling To Palestine On Your Own?

No worries, you’ve come to the right place!

Palestinian people, particularly in Hebron, love to meet new people from different cultures and exchange ideas and experiences with them. Moreover, we host many international visitors from all over the world who will be studying, volunteering, visiting or interning with us. Of course, you will engage with them in some educational and community activities that we organize at our center.

Additionally, our international participants often arrange to travel together on the weekends. In fact, a number of our international students, interns and volunteers have traveled to Palestine on their first ever trip abroad. While it can seem initially a bit intimidating, once you get here you will settle in and feel comfortable very quickly.

Everyone at Volunteer In Palestine –  Palestinian students, international visitors, and staff – are like one family and there are always activities to do together. Hebron is a good place for international visitors to stay at and offers a great social atmosphere

Reviews, Ratings And Community Awards

Volunteer in Palestine has welcomed individuals from all over the world since 2011. While we continuously develop our programs to provide the best possible learning experience, our fundamental mission remains the same: to connect, teach, and develop individuals within the local and international community.

In 2022 we were rated one of the top three programs worldwide in offering volunteer opportunities and one of the top three language schools worldwide by Go Overseas. We received a total of five Go Overseas Community Choice Awards in 2022. Volunteer in Palestine was also recognized as one of the top Teach Abroad Providers for the category of “benefits” and one of the Top Internship Abroad Providers for the categories of “growth” and “support”.

In 2021, we were also rated one of the top three programs worldwide in offering volunteer opportunities. We also received community choice awards by Go Overseas in the category “Best Language School”, voted best on “fun” and “instruction”. 

In 2019, we received our first “Go Overseas Community Choice Awards”, recognizing Volunteer in Palestine’s meaningful and unforgettable impact on the community of international travelers. Volunteer in Palestine’s programs, including the Laws & Legal internship in Hebron, have had many great reviews and testimonials as can be seen here:

• +640 reviews (96%) on gooverseas.com
• +150 reviews (94%) on goabroad.com
• Participants’ video testimonials

Safety Of Our Volunteers And Interns

The region of Palestine has not been stable for the last few decades. There is often the threat of unrest and war, and at times the situation can become more volatile than usual. Nonetheless, millions of tourists visit Palestine and the West Bank each year without having any safety concerns.  People come to Hebron, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jenin, Jerusalem, Salfit, Tulkarem, Nablus and many other cities. Palestinians in general are welcoming and hospitable people and they recognize that the politics of a country and its people may sometimes differ.  

Since it was formed in 2011, Volunteer in Palestine has welcomed over 1000 international visitors. These visitors lived and worked in Hebron for anywhere from a few weeks to several months, and in general did not face any threat nor did they feel unsafe while in Hebron or the West Bank.

Volunteer in Palestine is located in the heart of the city of Hebron, in an area which is under the administration of the Palestinian authority. Our Palestinian host families and the male dorms are conveniently located, near to Volunteer in Palestine’s center. 

Do I Need a Visa to Intern in the West Bank?

Most of Volunteer in Palestine’s internship participants receive a tourist visa for three months (90 days) when they fly to Israeli airports or cross the checkpoint from Jordan to the West Bank.

In general, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, Australians, Britons and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine (and Israel), as they usually qualify for the visa exemption agreement. When you arrive at an Israeli Airport in Tel Aviv or Eilat, you will be granted a tourist visa that is valid for 90 days which will allow you to travel throughout Palestine and Israel.

How Can I Fly To Palestine?

Unfortunately, Palestine does not have any airports in the West Bank or the Gaza strip. All Palestinians use the airports in Jordan or Egypt to travel abroad. International visitors, however, may also fly to Israeli airports and then cross into Hebron, West Bank.

The easiest way to get to Hebron and to Volunteer in Palestine is:

• Fly to Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv Airport (Israel). It takes about two and a half hours from the airport to our center in Hebron via shared taxi.

• You can also fly to Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan and then cross to Palestine, but it takes more time and is more expensive.

• Finally, you can fly to Eilat Ramon airport (South of Israel) and then travel onwards by booking a shuttle or taking a bus to Jerusalem. From there you can travel to Hebron. This trip to Hebron can last between 6 and 7 hours.

Traveling To Hebron, Palestine 

Volunteer 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 on 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

Volunteer in Palestine staff can organize a taxi to pick you up at Ben Gurion Airport and take you straight to Hebron and our center. This is the easiest and fastest way (about an hour, 60 km/37 miles) to get to Volunteer in Palestine.

Additional fees (about 160 Euros) apply to this trip. Please contact Volunteer in Palestine’s staff if you are interested in this option.

Summary

The Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship program aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex legal structures and their significance to humanitarian causes in Palestine. This program is an excellent opportunity for individuals interested in pursuing a career in law, diplomacy or humanitarian aid.

Through this internship program in Hebron, West Bank, participants will have exclusive access to Palestinian legal systems, interact with local lawyers, law professors, and university law students. The program offers full immersion in Palestinian history, culture and daily life, raising awareness of the issues that Palestine faces and the legal means available to address them. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to connect with other interns and volunteers from around the world and enjoy two days off per week to explore nearby cities.

This flexible internship can be customized to last between 1-13 weeks and is available year-round. University students may also earn academic credit while interning with us and exploring Palestine to further their academic goals.

How To Apply

If you are interested in applying for our Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship, please email us at info@ecpalestine.org and CC Mr. Rafat Shantir at Rafat@excellencenter.org with the subject line “Palestinian Laws & Legal Practices Internship”. We will respond with an application form for you to complete and return to us to begin the process.

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