UPDATE: Jonathan moved to the UK in summer 2021 and is no longer leading regular political tours of Nazareth. Any dates when he is available for tours will be publicised here and on his social media accounts.
Jonathan leads short or day-long “alternative tours” of Nazareth and the surrounding Galilee region. These are designed to be informative and educational, highlighting historical, political, social and economic themes related to the wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Arranging a tour
Tours can be tailored to suit a group’s particular interests, but might include some or all of the following elements:
- A tour of the Old City of Nazareth as an example of a “de-developed” Palestinian space.
- A comparative tour of Nazareth and the neighbouring Jewish city of Upper Nazareth, the flagship of Israel’s Judaisation programme in the Galilee. Upper Nazareth was designed to “swallow up” Nazareth.
- A visit to a nearby Palestinian village, destroyed by Israel following the 1948 war and now replaced by an agricultural community exclusively for Jews. Today, many of the inhabitants of this destroyed village and their descendants live in their own neighbourhood of Nazareth.
- A tour of the central Galilee to see the Judaisation programme that followed the Land Day protests of 1976, including the mitzpim (lookout) communities built by Ariel Sharon.
If you would like to get an idea of what Jonathan offers, you can watch these short videos of previous tours.
This 10-minute video was filmed during a visit to Saffuriya, a destroyed village near Nazareth that was ethnically cleansed of its Palestinian population in 1948.
The 7-minute video below, filmed in Nazareth, discusses Israel’s two citizenship laws – one for Jews and one for non-Jews – that ensure Israel’s Palestinian minority have a much-degraded form of citizenship.
And this 25-minute video shows the highlights of a tour of political sites near the Sea of Galilee.
Additional activities
I am also closely involved in a social enterprise working to revive the cultural heart of Nazareth, its Old City, both for visitors and the local population. Liwan operates as a tourism advice centre and cultural cafe, and can organise a range of activities for individuals and groups: tours of the Galilee; discounted accommodation in the Old City’s historic buildings; traditional Palestinian meals prepared by local families; cookery workshops; and evening entertainment.
You can find out more about Liwan from its Facebook page. They can be reached at [email protected]
Talks and lectures
Jonathan gives lectures and extended question and answer sessions on a range of topics:
- The nature of a Jewish state
- Life for Palestinians in Israel
- The Israel-Palestinian conflict
- Israel’s regional foreign policy and relations with the US
To arrange a tour or talk
Please use the Contact page on the website to arrange a meeting, talk or tour.
Reviews from tour participants
“Your guided tour along the four [destroyed] villages was one of the highlights of our trip to Israel/Palestine. … We want to thank you for the unforgettable tour.”
Wim and Adrie Minnaard – Teherne, Netherlands
“I want to thank you so much for the time that you spent with us yesterday. Your commitment, intellect, and passion are contagious! Each person in our group has commented repeatedly how much they benefited from both the casual walk through the souk and from the extended conversation with you.”
Ronald Shive – Burlington, North Carolina
“It was an incredibly educational, sometimes devastating, and often inspirational trip. Jonathan expertly balanced giving a tour rich with historical background and providing a clear picture of present-day issues. He gave us lots of detail but always kept a view of the broader picture.”
Ryvka Barnard – Coordinator, Health and Human Rights Project
“Our time with you in Nazareth was a high point for our group. Several continued to speak of it as they were processing a myriad of impressions.”
Mary Lou Leiser Smith – Coordinating Director, Coalition for Peace with Justice
“Many thanks for briefing our group of internationals. Your insights were much valued and your work truly inspiring!”
Linda Ramsden – UK director, Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions
