All Entries Tagged With: "gaza"
There’s a war going on don’t you know
War? What, war here in Israel? You’re kidding right?
So OK, living in Tel Aviv it’s easy to understand why things don’t look so bad. We aren’t constantly interrupted by the sounds of sirens wailing through the air, rushing to shelters or taping up windows. We haven’t stopped going to work, sending our kids to school and kindergarten, or going out for a beer.
We might be watching more news, thanks to the blanket coverage, but are we really aware that less than an hour’s drive away, people are practically living in shelters, school is cancelled, and 18-19 year old boys are preparing to combat a rather nasty bunch of Hamas militants.
Just yesterday, driving home after doing some shopping, I turned to the wife and said “Hard to believe there’s a war going on just an hour’s drive from here…” But she had fallen asleep, so my two littluns in the back seat giggled as I made a face. The streets were full of traffic, while people strolled down the street, laughing at private conversations on their mobile phones while tucking their chins in from the cold breeze whipping through Tel Aviv (yes, it does even sometimes get cold here in Tel Aviv!).
But with the war in Gaza continuing and Tel Aviv a possible target for longer range missiles, I’m not going to tell you that this is the perfect time for a visit to Israel. The bubble that is Tel Aviv is still a safe place to be in (as I sit typing and watching the froth settle on my beer), as is much of Israel. It’s just that I know what the BBC and CNN are showing and you’re probably convinced that the whole country has donned combat pants and jackets with M16s slung over shoulders…
If you’re coming for a trip to Israel, and staying in the centre of the country or even Jerusalem, you’ll be fine. It’s still safe in Israel, especially in the centre of the country. You probably won’t even notice anything out of the ordinary, except for the obsession with watching the latest TV news updates. Tourism to Israel is undoubtedly taking a hit right now, but I think the Israel tourism ministry sums it up nicely:
“Representatives of the Tourism Ministry are in direct and continuous contact with all tourism industry elements in Israel and abroad, through the managers of the tourism bureaus located in different countries, and are holding daily evaluations of the situation.
“The ministry would like to clarify that the military operation is taking place in the Gaza Strip and the western Negev, which are far from Israel’s tour and vacation sites, and thus there is no reason for people not to continue their visit to Israel.”
And you can always check out your government’s travel advisory. For example, both the US and UK are warning against certain areas, specifically Gaza, but don’t advise against travelling to Israel in general. See the following two links:
I say come on over, see the Old City in Jerusalem, dip your toes in the Med, have a beer or glass of wine, and watch that sun set from your beach chair. By the time you’ve come and gone, all this will be over anyway. I hope.
So, is it still safe to visit Israel?
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On Thursday we were celebrating Christmas; Saturday, pictures of bomb ravaged Gaza hit the screens. In the space of two days it has apparently all changed. The “explosion of love” I spoke about in my last post turned a full 180 degrees with a whole different series of explosions…
The world newsdesks sent their teams to cover Christmas in Bethlehem with huge numbers of tourists visiting Jesus’ birthplace. But now these news teams are no longer focused on Israel tourism, unfortunately.
So, it must seem that the whole country is at war and tourism will cease immediately. Undoubtedly there will be some effect on the number of tourists visiting Israel, but the reality for those tourists still here, or intending to visit, is much different.
I’ve been here for 18 years, trust me, the areas that you will likely visit as tourists are nowhere near the areas where the fighting is taking place. Gaza has always been a hot spot, and there are always incidents there, but look at the map - it’s way down South on the border with Egypt. There is no real danger.
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