A tour in Hebron with Breaking the Silence and NIFau

NIF Australia is hosting its first virtual tour later this month.

In collaboration with Breaking the Silence, an organisation of former veteran soldiers from the Israeli military, attendees will be able to visit Kiryat Arba, the controversial city of Hebron and hear from a Palestinian resident of the city.

The second-largest Palestinian city in the West Bank, Hebron is also the only city with a Jewish settlement embedded inside it. This has led to an intense security situation that has made parts of the former bustling market area of the city into ‘sterile areas’ not accessible to Palestinian residents.

“While it’s not the same as being there in person, the advantage of virtual tours is the ability to integrate different mediums to enhance our shared experience,” said NIF executive director Liam Getreu.

He added that being online allows us to use videos, maps, soldiers’ testimonies and photos to bring the best experience to participants. The tour will include ample opportunity to ask live questions both from Breaking the Silence and Hebron resident and Palestinian member of Youth Against Settlements, Murad Amro.

“When we take groups to Israel we always try to include a visit to Hebron as it shows firsthand many of the costs of the occupation to Palestinians who live it every day, and the corrosive effect it has on Israeli society.” added Getreu.

The free online tour will be run live on Tuesday 27 July from 7:30pm – 9pm on Zoom.

 

In addition to the Hebron experience, NIF will soon release a number of other virtual tours which will explore a number of issues in Israeli society, including:

• ●  The history of Mizrahi identity and politics in Israel, featuring one of the founders of the Black Panther movement in Israel
• ●  A tour of Yafo, exploring the growth of shared Jewish-Arab society and culture in Israel
• ●  The impact of the occupation in the Jordan Valley
• ●  The life of Bedouins living in the Negev