Trip to West Bank

I teach photo-j as well, and lead student trips to Latin America, the Mideast and India. Im not sure you are completely out of your mind, but its sketchy. I would choose someplace a bit less intense, but Im not in the area right now (Ill be in India in July). If you do go, I would definitely check on the ground conditions, with local photogs, as much as possible. Knowledge is power. LS is a good place to get names and contacts.

Glen,

So far west-bank is much much different from the images of Gaza you see on TV. (The real situation in Gaza is even worse than you see)

To many parts of the west bank you can access without any restriction. Travel is relatively safe. The incidents of shouting at moving vehicles are few and far. Of course condition may change, there are at some places at some times eruption of violence which may be unpredictable. One minute calm and one minute stones or bullets can fly – because of event that happened somewhere else. Bottomline: condition can change quickly.

This is the Middle East – It is hard to know what would be the condition next March.
Maybe we will know by end of February…and who knows maybe by February Gaza will different (better/worse- I have no idea – but my guess is that Hamas will create order)

Once I had to stop Isreali soldiers from shooting an inexperienced photogrpaher in Ramallah. They thought he was a palestininan up to something fishy, because the way he moved and behaved. He clearly didn’t know how to behave in such an environment, and very nearly paid the ultimate price for it. Even experienced shooters get in trouble there, and as others have pointed out things can change very quickly. I certainly wouldn’t like to be responisble for a group of students in such a lethal classroom.

True, things can change very quickly, but on the other hand, some places are safer than others. Maybe the solution for what you’re doing would be to do a deal with some cultural organisation in one of the smaller quieter refugee camps, or even one of the quieter settlements. Avoid Balata and Deheisha, they see too much action.

That sounds too dangerous for inexperienced photographers (like me).

Suggestion: Contact Bir Ziet University in Ramallah and An Najah University in Nablus. There are usually exchange programs and “summer camps” for westerners in the west bank.

Personally, I would love to go. Any room left?

Hello Glen , if u r to do it to Gaza strip then i would be of great asistance.. i can provide u with all ur needs with the minimal costs as students, have a look at my profile..

Gaza is safer now.. but still, as the other colleages mentioned, no body can expect what would be happening next march.. good luck!!

Hi Glen, I agree in some how that still early to expect what would be happening next march, because you never know when the new Israeli restrictions will take place. everyday there is a new policy on the land.. Everyday I’m going to the West Bank, sometimes it’s taking you to wait on the checkpoints long time to cross in and out from the Palestinian cities, and othertimes you are crossing very quickly. anyway if you need any help, you can contact me.

i think this is a cool idea!!

what kinds of things would you like your students to produce? VII agency does a similar kind of workshop in the west bank…

depending on the situation you might want to think about basing yourselves in jerusalem and heading out from there… the commute is only a short car ride to most places.

speaking of balata, check out the work that 9 students 11-18 years old produced in a project i founded at picturebalata.net

good luck!

Matthew,
Don’t think you can compare the VII workshop to what Glen is talking about.
The VII workshop is for semi to professional adult photographers, who are responsible for their own safety and go out individually to get the story they want to photograph, whether in the West Bank or not.
Glen will be responsible for these kids himself, since he’ll be their guide, teacher etc. Not sure though what age you are talking about. 2nd year students?
Think it all depends on where, when and what. In most places things are ok at the moment. Things seem quiet, but Nablus for instance had a few bad days of IDF action behind itself, and I doubt this would be a good place to have a group of foreign kids around right now.
Not sure. A lot depends on how well they are prepared for the whole thing I guess, knowing and understanding about the situation over here will certainly help.
By the way, Matthew, the Balata project of yours is really nice. Well done on that!
Best,
Wendy