About the Tour Guides

Khalil Alamour
Khalil is a Bedouin Israeli who lives in the unrecognized village of Alsyra. He has a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics and Education, has also completed courses in computer science, and community leadership, and holds a Master's Degree in Educational Administration. He is a teacher and member of his village's local council, and in that role has helped to initiate several local initiatives such as procuring a daycare for the village and afterschool programs for youth. He speaks Arabic, Hebrew, English, and limited Spanish.

Yafit Gamila Biso
Gamila immigrated to Israel from Syria in 1985. She is active in many joint Israeli-Palestinian peace and human rights groups, including Ta'ayush, Windows, and her own organization the Olive Tree. Her activities include being a translator and contact person for Palestinian children and families getting treatment in Israeli hospitals, organizing humanitarian aid for Palestinian children in the West Bank, and assisting Palestinians with the olive harvest. She is known interchangeably by her two first names, with mean "beautiful" in Hebrew and Arabic, respectively. Gamila speaks English, Arabic and Hebrew fluently.

Eldad Brin
Eldad has an M.A. in geography and urban and regional studies from Hebrew University and is a licensed tour guide. He was born and raised in Jerusalem and specializes in guiding the Greater Jerusalem Tour and walking tours of the Old City. His passion is the post-1967 'geopolitics' of the area and has written extensively on the subject. Most notably his 2006 paper, 'Politically Oriented Tourism in Jerusalem' published by Sage in the academic journal, Tourist Studies. Eldad's tours of Jerusalem provide a comprehensive overview of the contradictions inherent between the slogan, 'an Undivided Jerusalem', and the 8-meter high wall that slices through Palestinian neighborhoods and the segregated roads around the perimeter of the city. Eldad has also given presentations on the situation is Jerusalem.
. . . . . . Learn more about Eldad

Samer Kokaly<
Samer is the Operations Manager for the Alternative Tourism Group (ATG) in Bethlehem and conducts a variety of tours in Palestine. Established in 1995, ATG operates according to the tenets of justice tourism, that is, tourism that holds as its central goals the creation of economic opportunities for the local community, positive cultural exchange between guest and host through one-on-one interaction, the protection of the environment, and political/historical education. Samer Kokaly works tirlessly to promote a positive image of Palestine and its people and to contribute to establishment of a just peace in the area. He is a graduate of the Thessaloniki University in Greece, and has previously worked as an air steward and with a travel agency. The Kokaly family live in Beit Sahour near Bethlehem with an extended family spread around the world in Spain, Chile, Greece and the USA.


Rotem Mor
Rotem Mor declared his refusal to serve in the army after a year and a half of service, a decision for which he spent time in prison. He then led seminars for youth contemplating their army service, guiding groups of young Israeli conscientious objectors, organizing an alternative summer camp for youth and delegations of young objectors to France and the U.S. He has also been an active member of the movement against the Separation Barrier, taking part in joint protests with a focus on his hometown of Mevaseret Zion (near Jerusalem) where he took part in organizing joint resistance to the wall together with the neighboring Palestinian villagers.  Rotem is currently a student of Middle Eastern classical music at the Center for Middle Eastern Music in Jerusalem where he is also running a project to promote Middle Eastern culture in Israeli society.

Mohammad Nabulsi
Mohammad was born in Jerusalem and guides a variety of tours in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Israel. He is able to provide a unique Palestinian perspective on life in the country, and especially the impact of the Israeli Occupation in East Jerusalem. His personal story is also interesting.

After a successful business career in Belgium, Mohammad returned to his home city only to find that Israel now categorises him as a foreigner, and he has been unable to obtain status as a legal resident. As a result he has been an 'illegal alien' in his home town, and is now battling in court to regain what is rightfully his, permission to live in his home town.

Mohammad is also a wonderful cook, and often hosts Green Olive guests at his home for a traditional meal. He also takes guests for a night out in Ramallah, the cultural capital of Palestine, visiting clubs and pubs and having a good time. Contact us for details.

Youval Tamari
Youval is the son of the late major general Nehemia Tamari and served as a Captain in the Israeli Air Force. He was one of the first to sign a letter refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories in 2002 during the Intifada. He is a high school history teacher in a mixed Arab/Jewish school in Jaffa, and group facilitator working in Palestinian-Israeli dialogue groups at Neve Shalom ~ Wahat al-Salaam. He holds a B.A. in History, and an M.A. in Urban Planning from the Technion, on the subject of mixed cities. In addition to guiding with ToursInEnglish.com, Youval guides for Zochrot, an organization dedicated to remembering the Palestinian Nakbah of 1948 through tours of destroyed villages, lectures and other activites.

Itamar Shapira
After joining the Israeli Defence Forces, Itamar subsequently refused  to serve in the military and became a co-founder of Combatants For Peace. He is also involved with other human rights groups include Breaking the Silence, Taayush, ICAHD and others. Itamar worked in the Jerusalem Holocaust Museum as a tour guide until he was sacked for discussing the Nakba (1948 expulsion of Palestinians) and its impact on Israeli remembrance of the Holocaust. National narratives and self-justifications of collectives and individuals are Itamar's passionate interest in addition to history, politics and social change. Itamar has been living in Jerusalem in the last 6 years, and is fluent in Hebrew, English and Spanish, and is a Flamenco guitarist. . . . more

Fred Schlomka
Fred Schlomka Has been involved professionally with Israeli/Palestinian relationships for ten years. In addition to managing Green Olive Tours he is active in the Israeli peace movement and a partner in North Bridge Investments, a unique Israeli/Palestinian company. In 2003 Fred was awarded a Social Entrepreneur Fellowship from the Echoing Green Foundation in New York for his work in advancing relationships between Jewish and Arab citizens of Israel. He has lectured on Israeli/Palestinian issues in Europe and the USA, and his articles have been published widely. . . . more


Yahav Zohar, Senior Guide
Yahav Zohar was born in Jerusalem and has lived in the city all his life. He has been a journalist, a translator, a political activist and a spokesperson for human rights and a sustainable political solution in Israel-Palestine. He currently works as a guide through out Israel, combining historical and religious knowledge  with a firm grasp of the political situation, gained through years of involvement with Combatants For Peace, the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions and other peace and human rights initiatives. Yahav works closely with Green Olive tours in developing itineraries as Senior Guide. . . . more

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