Palestine has no functioning airport under Palestinian Authority control. Travelers enter through Israeli-controlled borders. The West Bank is accessed via the Allenby Bridge from Jordan or through Israeli checkpoints from Israel. The primary crossing from Jordan is the King Hussein Bridge, operated by Israel, located 56 kilometers from Amman. Israeli border officials process all entries. Gaza Strip borders remain largely closed to tourists, with Rafah crossing to Egypt opening sporadically under Egyptian control and Erez crossing to Israel restricted to humanitarian cases and journalists with advance permits. The West Bank contains over 100 Israeli military checkpoints, including permanent installations at major city entrances and flying checkpoints that appear without notice on internal roads.
Entry stamps are controlled by Israel. Israeli border officials stamp a separate paper slip rather than passports since 2013, which travelers must retain until departure. Visitors entering through Ben Gurion Airport or Israeli land borders receive this paper. Palestinian Authority exercises no control over who enters or exits the West Bank. Multiple travelers report questioning lasting one to four hours at Israeli border points, particularly those with Arab surnames, prior travel to certain countries, or Palestinian heritage. Some travelers have been denied entry without stated reason. The Allenby Bridge crossing closes on Jewish holidays and Yom Kippur, and operates shorter hours on Fridays and Saturdays.
No visa from Palestinian Authority is required or available. Access depends entirely on Israeli tourist visa policy, which grants 90-day entries to citizens of most Western countries. Israeli authorities prohibit entry to citizens of Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Saudi Arabia unless special permission is obtained months in advance. Travelers who wish to visit both Israel and Palestine must understand Israel controls all movement. Those planning to visit only Palestinian areas must still obtain permission from Israel.
The Israeli New Shekel is the primary currency in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine has no sovereign currency. The Jordanian Dinar circulates widely in the West Bank alongside shekels, particularly in shops near Bethlehem, Hebron, and Jericho. Palestinian merchants accept both currencies. The exchange rate between shekel and dinar floats daily. As of standard practice, one Jordanian Dinar trades for approximately 5 Israeli Shekels, though this varies. United States dollars are accepted at hotels and some tourist-oriented businesses but at poor exchange rates. Euro notes are rarely accepted outside money changers.
Palestinian banks include Bank of Palestine, founded 1960, and Arab Bank, which operates branches in Ramallah, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Hebron. These banks process transactions in shekels and dinars. ATMs in Palestinian cities dispense Israeli shekels. The Palestinian Monetary Authority, established 1994 under the Oslo Accords, regulates banking but does not issue currency. International transfers face delays because Palestinian banks must clear through correspondent banks, often in Jordan or Europe. Some Palestinian banks remain cut off from international SWIFT systems due to measures Israeli authorities periodically impose.
Cash dominates in Palestine. Credit cards are accepted at major hotels in Ramallah and Bethlehem, and at some restaurants catering to international visitors, but most shops, restaurants, markets, and transportation operate on cash only. Visa and Mastercard are more widely accepted than American Express or Discover. Card readers frequently malfunction due to intermittent electricity and internet connectivity. Travelers should carry sufficient cash for daily needs. Money changers operate openly on main streets in Ramallah, Bethlehem, and Nablus, displaying rates on boards. These changers handle shekels, dinars, dollars, and euros.
Two Palestinian mobile networks operate in the West Bank. Jawwal, launched 1999 by the Palestinian Telecommunications Company, is the oldest Palestinian mobile operator. Ooredoo Palestine, which began service 2009, is the second network. Both provide 3G and limited 4G coverage in major cities. Israeli restrictions on spectrum allocation mean Palestinian networks cannot use frequencies above 2G in Area C, which comprises 60 percent of the West Bank under full Israeli control. This creates dead zones on roads between cities. Coverage inside Ramallah, Bethlehem, Nablus, and Hebron city centers is reliable. Coverage weakens in refugee camps and disappears in rural villages.
Prepaid SIM cards from Jawwal or Ooredoo can be purchased at phone shops in any Palestinian city without presenting identification in practice, though Palestinian law technically requires ID registration. A SIM card costs between 20 and 50 shekels depending on included credit. Data packages are sold in increments, with one gigabyte typically costing 25 to 35 shekels for weekly validity. Recharge cards are available at corner shops, kiosks, and mobile phone stores. Israeli mobile networks, including Cellcom, Pelephone, and Partner, also cover the West Bank with stronger signals because Israel does not restrict their spectrum. However, using Israeli networks in the West Bank triggers international roaming charges for those with foreign SIM cards from Israel.
Gaza Strip residents use two networks, Jawwal Gaza and Ooredoo Gaza, operating under different regulatory conditions than the West Bank. These networks do not connect to West Bank networks directly. International visitors cannot practically obtain Gaza SIM cards due to closure and entry restrictions.
WhatsApp, Telegram, and similar applications work on both Palestinian and Israeli networks.