HEBRON, OCCUPIED WEST BANK
Support nonviolent resistance
Supporting families, documenting human rights violations, and building resilience under occupation.
Join a Guided Tour of Hebron
Walk Shuhada Street. Visit families living under occupation. See the reality on the ground and bring that knowledge home. Led by Issa Amro and the Friends of Hebron Team.
Who we are
Friends of Hebron (Working for Peace and Justice, Inc., EIN 82-1109691) is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We support the resilience and nonviolent struggle of the Palestinian community in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank. We work on the ground in the United States, and internationally, to help families remain in their homes, strengthen civil society, and build a movement rooted in nonviolence, human rights, and steadfastness.
The situation
Hebron is one of the oldest and holiest cities in the world, sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike.
The city is split in two. H1 is run by the Palestinian Authority. H2 is run by the Israeli military and it's where the city's historic center sits.
In H2, Palestinian families live under military law. Their neighbors, Israeli settlers on the same streets, live under civil law. Checkpoints. Closed roads. Entire streets Palestinians can no longer walk.
Families who stay face displacement, violence, and daily restrictions on work, school, and movement. What was once Hebron's busiest market street is now empty.
In June 2026, Israel stripped the Palestinian municipality of its remaining planning authority in H2, another step toward erasing what little control Palestinians had left.
We help these families stay anyway.
What We Do
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Protect Families
We provide protective infrastructure, including reinforced homes, security systems, and protective presence for families living near settlements.
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Nonviolent Resistance
We support community-led nonviolent resistance so families can remain in their homes.
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Documentation & Storytelling
We document human rights violations, support Palestinian storytelling through photography, film, and media, and advocate for accountability under international law.
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Community & Resilience
We support women, youth, and children through education, training, and community programs in areas where daily life is heavily restricted.
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Education & Outreach
We raise awareness and build pressure for change through speaking tours, educational visits, workshops and campaigns.
Selected Projects
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'Om / Mother
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Olive Harvest
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Humanitarian aid
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Humans of Hebron
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Interactive Map of Hebron
Ahmad Film House
Named in honor of Ahmad Amro, a defender of human rights and Palestinian freedom, Ahmad Film House is a community space dedicated to learning and cultural expression. The Film House brings Palestinians together to watch and discuss films that reflect their own lives and experiences, while also welcoming Israeli and international visitors to engage with Palestinian reality. Designed for all ages, it screens educational films and hosts community events.
“A space for culture, memory and nonviolent resistance — told through film”
Watch the full clip about Ahmad here.
OUR REACH
Years of nonviolent activism
20+
Media engagements, meetings + lectures annually
10,000+
Tours given of Hebron annually
200+
Number of families supported annually
1000+
ISSA AMRO
Meet Our Founder
Issa Amro didn't set out to be an activist. He was an engineering student in Hebron with a dream of developing renewable energy — until the Israeli army shut down his university and changed the course of his life. What followed was more than two decades of nonviolent resistance, community organizing, and human rights work in one of the most contested cities in the world. Popularly known as the "Palestinian Gandhi," Issa is the founder of Youth Against Settlements and the Executive Director of Working for Peace and Justice Inc. / Friends of Hebron. He is a Nobel Peace Prize nominee, a 2024 Right Livelihood Award winner, and was named to TIME 100 Next in 2025.
“I have spent my entire life believing in nonviolence, and I continue to do so."
TAKE ACTION
Get involved
Visit Hebron
Join a guided visit to learn about the situation and meet community members on the ground.
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Donate
Your contribution will make a huge difference for kids, youth, women and Human Rights Defenders.
