JAI - ATG Olive Planting Program 2008

A program for Civil International Solidarity with Palestinians

Invitation to the Olive Planting Program 2008

2nd - 11th February

We are glad to share with you that from the beginning of February 2008, the JAI, in partnership with the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG), will put into action an annual Olive Planting program.

This will be another exceptional event added to the annual olive picking program which is run during the olive harvest season.

Read about the program backgroud


Daily news with photos and reflections:

  • Saturday, Feb 2:  Arrival to the airport and travel to Bethlehem to meet representatives from the organizing institutions for an overview and discussion of the program. Dinner and free time.

  • Sunday, Feb 3, Day one : Visiting Bethlehem. An afternoon of site-seeing and an introduction to the town. Watching a movie about the situation in Palestine.

  • Monday, Feb 4, Day two: Half day planting trees at a selected field followed by lunch. Visiting Duheisha refugee camp. Evening with BADIL Resource Center for Palestinian Residency and Refugees' Rights. Dinner and free time.

  • Tuesday, Feb 5, Day three: Half day planting trees at a field in Al-Khader. Meeting with the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ) for a presentation on the Israeli Apartheid Wall and land expropriation by Israeli authorities. Dinner and free time.

  • Wednesday, Feb 6, Day four: Visiting YWCA of Palestine headquarters in Jerusalem, A tour in the old city of Jerusalem to visit the main sites in the city. Lunch. In the afternoon we will join  The Israeli Committee Against House Demolition ICAHD for a settlement tour around Jerusalem. Dinner and free time. (suggested family stay).

  • Thursday, Feb 7, Day five: A tour in the old city of Hebron to visit the Ibrahimi Mosque, es-souq (the market), and to see the Israeli division of Hebron and the Israeli settlers who occupy the center of the city. Followed by a meeting with an organization based in Hebron. Dinner and free time (suggested family stay)

  • Friday, Feb 8, Day six: Half day planting trees at a field in Jaba'a, Bethlehem, witnessing Al-Khader village weekly protest against the Wall and land confiscation. Meeting with Joint Advocacy Initiative team and discuss advocacy plans.

  • Saturday, Feb 9, Day seven: Visit to the city of Ramallah. A meeting with Defense for Children International DCI, Al-Dameer and a Palestinian political representative. Dinner and free time.

  • Sunday, Feb 10, Day eight: Half day planting trees at a selected field followed by lunch. Evaluation meeting followed by a farewell dinner at Jadal cultural centre. with staff members and volunteers. Overnight in Bethlehem.

  • Monday, Feb 11: Departure


Participants reflections (from home):

For any other information, questions, concerns, please contact:

  • Baha Hilo, the Joint Advocacy Initiative of the East Jerusalem YMCA and the YWCA of Palestine campaigns officer via email at: olivetree@jai-pal.org / bahilo@gmail.com or by phone at (+972) 2 2774540.

  • Jawad Musleh, Alternative Tourism Group, program coordinator, via email at: jawad@atg.ps or by phone at (+972) 2 2772151.

Learn more about the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) and The Olive Tree Campaign. 
Learn more about the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) 
See a short film about the Olive Tree Campaign.


copyright JAI 2005