State Department Issues New Travel Warning For Israel, West Bank, and Gaza

CA, Travel Info Travelinfo@state.gov	8:29 AM (2 hours ago)
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March 19, 2012

The Department of State warns U.S. citizens of the risks of traveling to Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip, and about threats to themselves and to U.S. interests in those locations. The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to remain mindful of security factors when planning travel to Israel and the West Bank and to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip. This replaces the Travel Warning issued June 22, 2011, to update information on the general security environment.

The Gaza Strip and Southern Israel

The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip, which is under the control of Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. American citizens in Gaza are advised to depart immediately. The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt allows for some passenger travel, though coordination with local authorities -- which could take days or weeks to process -- is reportedly required. Travelers who enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing from Egypt must also exit through the Rafah crossing. The Israeli authorities do not permit such travelers to exit through the Erez crossing into Israel except in situations of extreme humanitarian need. Travelers entering the Gaza Strip may not be able to depart at a time of their choosing. Delays of days or weeks are common. U.S. citizens should be aware that as a consequence of a longstanding prohibition on travel by U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. Government into the Gaza Strip, the ability of consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens there is extremely limited, including the provision of routine consular services.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) strictly controls the crossing points between Israel and the Gaza Strip. The security environment within Gaza, including its border with Egypt and its seacoast, is dangerous and volatile. U.S. citizens are advised against traveling to Gaza by any means, including via sea. Previous attempts to enter Gaza by sea have been stopped by Israeli naval vessels and resulted in the injury, death, arrest, and deportation of U.S. citizens. U.S. citizens participating in any effort to reach Gaza by sea should understand that they may face arrest, prosecution, deportation and the confiscation of their personal items by the Government of Israel. The Government of Israel has announced its intention to seek ten-year travel bans to Israel for anyone participating in an attempt to enter Gaza by sea. On May 31, 2010, nine people were killed, including one U.S. citizen, in such an attempt. The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem are not able to provide consular assistance in Gaza or on the high seas or coastal waters.

Small clashes continue to occur along the boundary of the Gaza Strip. Rockets and mortars are still fired into Israel from Gaza, and Israel continues to conduct military operations inside Gaza, including airstrikes. Israel has also declared an exclusion zone inside Gaza along its boundary with Israel and has taken lethal measures against individuals who enter it.

In the past, some rockets have traveled more than 40 km (24 miles) from Gaza and landed as far north as Yavne and Gadera and as far east as Beersheva. As a result of possible military operations by the Government of Israel in Gaza and the ever-present risk of rocket and mortar attacks into Israel from Gaza, U.S. government personnel travelling in the vicinity of the Gaza Strip boundary, to include the city of Sderot, must make prior notification to the Embassy's Regional Security Office. U.S. citizens in the area should be aware of the risks and should take note of announcements by the Government of Israel's office of Homefront Command.

Israeli authorities have also maintained a heightened state of alert along Israel's border with Egypt since an August 18, 2011, terrorist attack that killed eight and injured nearly 40 along Route 12 north of Eilat. As a result of the heightened threat in the area, U.S. government personnel must notify the Regional Security Office if they plan to travel south of Be'er Sheva.

The West Bank

The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling to the West Bank. Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces are now deployed in all major cities and other limited areas within the West Bank. As a result, violence in recent years has decreased markedly throughout the West Bank. Nonetheless, demonstrations and violent incidents can occur without warning. Vehicles have also been the target of rocks, Molotov cocktails, and gunfire on West Bank roads. The IDF continues to carry out security operations in the West Bank. Israeli security operations, including incursions in Palestinian population centers, can occur at any time and lead to disturbances and violence. U.S. citizens can be caught in the middle of potentially dangerous situations. Some U.S. citizens involved in demonstrations in the West Bank have sustained serious injuries in confrontations with Israeli security forces. The Department of State recommends that U.S. citizens, for their own safety, avoid demonstrations.

During periods of unrest, the Israeli Government sometimes closes off access to the West Bank and those areas may be placed under curfew. All persons in areas under curfew should remain indoors to avoid risking arrest or injury. U.S. citizens have been killed, seriously injured, or detained and deported as a result of encounters with Israeli operations in the West Bank. Travel restrictions may be imposed by the Government of Israel with little or no warning. Strict measures have frequently been imposed following terrorist actions, and the movement of Palestinian-Americans, both those with and without residency status in the West Bank or Gaza, has been severely impeded. Security conditions in the West Bank can hinder the ability of consular staff to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens.

Jerusalem

The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to remain vigilant while traveling throughout Jerusalem, including in commercial and downtown areas of West Jerusalem. Spontaneous or planned protests within the Old City are possible, especially after Friday prayers. Some of these protests have led to violent clashes. Travelers should exercise caution at religious sites on holy days, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Isolated street protests and demonstrations can also occur in areas of East Jerusalem, including around Salah Ed-Din Street, Damascus Gate, Silwan, and the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. U.S. Government employees are prohibited from entering the Old City on Fridays during the month of Ramadan due to overall congestion and security-related access restrictions. U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. Embassy and Consulate General and their families are prohibited from using public transportation networks, including buses and light rail services, and their associated terminals.

Travel Restrictions for U.S. Government Personnel

Personal travel in the West Bank for U.S. government personnel and their families is allowed in the areas described below. They may travel to Bethlehem from 6:00 a.m. to 11 p.m.; to Jericho; and transit through the West Bank using only Routes 1 and 90 to reach the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge or the Dead Sea coast near Ein Gedi and Masada. They may also travel north on Route 90 from the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge to the Sea of Galilee during daylight hours. Personal travel is also permitted to Qumran off Route 90 by the Dead Sea and all areas south of Highway 1 and east of route 90 in the Dead Sea area.

U.S. Government personnel and family members are permitted both official and personal travel on Route 443 between Modi'in and Jerusalem. All other personal travel in the West Bank, unless specifically authorized for mission-approved purposes, is prohibited.

General Safety and Security

Israeli authorities remain concerned about the continuing threat of terrorist attacks. U.S. citizens are cautioned that a greater danger may exist around restaurants, businesses, and other places associated with U.S. interests and/or located near U.S. official buildings, such as the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem. U.S. citizens are also urged to exercise a high degree of caution and to use common sense when patronizing restaurants, nightclubs, cafes, malls, places of worship, and theaters, especially during peak hours. Large crowds and public gatherings have been targeted by terrorists in the past and should be avoided to the extent practicable. U.S. Government personnel have been directed to avoid protests and demonstrations and urged to maintain a high level of vigilance and situational awareness at all times. U.S. citizens should take into consideration that public buses and their respective terminals are off-limits to U.S. Government personnel.

Since December 2009, two U.S. citizens have been murdered in separate incidents while walking in the woods in the Beit Shemesh area near Jerusalem. Israeli authorities characterized the murders as terrorist attacks.

A bomb blast near the Central Bus Terminal in Jerusalem on March 23, 2011, injured several U.S. citizens.

There are live land mines in many areas of the Golan Heights, so visitors should walk only on established roads or trails. Near the northern border of Israel, rocket attacks from Lebanese territory can and have occurred without warning.

A terrorist attack on two commercial buses and two private vehicles on Route 12 north of Eilat killed eight and injured nearly 40 on August 18, 2011.

Entry/Exit Difficulties

U.S. citizens planning to travel to Israel or the West Bank should read carefully the detailed information concerning entry and exit difficulties in the Country Specific Information sheet. U.S. citizens in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip are strongly encouraged to enroll with the Consular Sections of theU.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv or the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem through the State Department'sSmart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). Occasional warden messages issued by the Embassy and the Consulate General are e-mailed to registered U.S. citizens and are posted on State Department websites to highlight time-sensitive security concerns.

Security-related delays are not unusual for travelers carrying audio-visual or data storage/processing equipment, and some have had their laptop computers and other electronic equipment confiscated at Ben Gurion Airport. While most items are returned prior to the traveler's departure, some equipment has been retained by the authorities for lengthy periods and has reportedly been damaged, destroyed, lost or never returned. U.S. citizens who have had personal property damaged due to security procedures at Ben Gurion may contact the Commissioner for Public Complaints at the airport for redress by fax to 972-3-9752387. In such circumstances, travelers should have no expectation of privacy for any data stored on such devices.

The Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy should be contacted for information and assistance in the following areas: Israel, the Golan Heights, and ports of entry at Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa Port, the northern (Jordan River) and southern (Arava) border crossings connecting Israel and Jordan, and the border crossings between Israel and Egypt. The Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem should be contacted for information and assistance in the following areas: Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Allenby Bridge crossing connecting the West Bank and Jordan.

The Consulate General in Jerusalem may be contacted at (972) (2) 630-4000 and the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv at (972) (3) 519-7575 Monday through Friday during business hours. After hours for emergencies between 4:30 p.m. 8:00 a.m. local time Monday through Friday and on weekends, the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem may be contacted at (972) (2) 622-7250, and the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv at (972) (3) 519-7551.

Current information on travel and security in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip may be obtained from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States and Canada, or, from overseas, 1-202-501-4444. For additional and more in-depth information about specific aspects of travel to these areas, U.S. citizens should consult: the Country Specific Information for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza; and the Worldwide Caution. These along with other Travel Warnings, Travel Alertsand Country Specific Information are available on the Department's Internet website. Up-to-date information on security conditions can also be accessed at http://usembassy-israel.org.il orhttp://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on facebook as well. You can also download our free Smart Traveler iPhone App to have travel information at your fingertips.

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More on the “Peace Talks”
©2010 by David Talbot

This is my response to an article published in Ynet News on October 4, 2010. You can find a link to the English language version of the article on David Talbot’s Blog: http://talbotnotes.blogspot.com.

I don't know enough about the players, and the politics, in Israel. What Ido believe, however, is that a peace accord with Palestinians can never be achieved until some agency or government assumes, either by free elections or some other mechanism approved by all the parties, control of all Palestinians,and has the authority to impose civil order over the territory granted to this agency or government.

The degree to which Obama, and his agents,does not understand the Arabs is astounding. Peace is not the end game for them,it is simply a part of the process of total destruction of all Jews and the State of Israel.

Statements, many coming from individuals claiming leadership of the Palestinian people,are spoken with one meaning in English and a totally diametrically opposed meaning in Arabic,on the same day,and from the same people.

Obama seizes on the inane ramblings of terrorist governments when it seems they support his agenda, but he is totally unaware of the Arabic translation or, more accurately, the Arabic version, which is 180 degrees out of sync with the English version broadcast worldwide.

In some cases, these quasi leaders like Abbas flip opinions faster than a weather vane in a tornado, even to their own people. Leaving them totally baffled as to what their leaders think.

I believe the Foreign Minister is correct in his assumptions. So,no more freeze on settlements, no carving up Jerusalem, and if we have to go it alone, we will!

Anyway, that’s my opinion, what’s yours?

Shalom,

David Talbot

Contact David Talbot at: talbotnotes@gmail.com.

Peace Talks
©2010 By David Talbot

September 2, 2010. Another day of Peace talks, another attack on Israeli civilians -- this time along route 60, a road that the Israeli Supreme Court and the IDF just re-opened saying they have full confidence they can control access. No one was killed today, just wounded--a miracle because the terrorists used a Kalashnikov rifle on full automatic hitting the drivers door with 9 bullets. The passenger in the car was not wounded by the gunfire but suffered minor injuries when the car rolled down an embankment.

Did you happen to notice the wild celebration in the West Bank last night? The peace loving Palestinians were celebrating the death of the 4 Jews (One of whom was pregnant), ambushed and killed in the first attack on Wednesday.

These so-called peace talks are a joke and will cause the fall of Benjamin Netanyahu and his Government. Ehud Barak, the Israeli Defense Minister, should resign now. U.S. President Obama promised no more unilateral deals, pledging an engagement with many nations in building a peace agreement between the PA and Israel. See any other European nations around the table? England? France? Germany? Italy? Anybody? And, Abbas is no longer the PA President ---not since he lost in January. So what credentials does he possess to legitimize his representation of the Palestinians?

Abbas reiterated today: no settlements, lift the Gaza blockade, all Jews out of East Jerusalem and the eventual Palestinian State.

No Settlements? Since when does the looser in a military contest get to dictate terms?

Lift the Gaza Blockade? Just what is being blocked? From the CIC Scene website: “Over one million tons of humanitarian supplies were delivered by Israel to the people of Gaza in the past 18 months – that’s equal to nearly one ton of aid for every man, woman and child in Gaza.” The most amount of aid, per capita, of any relief effort in the world. So, the only items being blocked by Israel are weapons. And, who rules Gaza? The PA? No, it’s Hamas, sworn to wipe Israel off the map.

Israel should give back Jerusalem to the PA as soon as Washington gives back New Mexico, Arizona, California & Texas to the Mexican Government; Puerto Rico to Spain; and, most of North America back to the Indians.

It makes me sick to see what Israel has become, so dependent on the American teat that they have become emasculated and, I fear, unable to fight themselves out of a wet paper bag.

Peace talks? I don't think so.

Anyway, that’s my opinion. What’s yours?

Shalom,

David Talbot

David can be reached at: talbotnotes@gmail.com
Follow him on Facebook: www.facebook.com/talbotnotes

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Is Obama Good For Israel?
©2010 By David Talbot

I’m having a running debate, a friendly discussion, with a friend about the dust up over the Israeli Government’s decision to build 1,500 homes in East Jerusalem. And, whether the treatment Prime Minister Netanyahu received was, in fact, a snub? And, if it was, was it intentional? Here’s my opinion.

After the war in 1967, Israel took control of Jerusalem from Jordan. As the Jordanians left, they destroyed the city, taking particular care to demolish all Jewish holy sites, desecrate Jewish cemeteries, and obliterate all Jewish historical monuments. Fast forward to 2009 and the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government agrees to evict all Jewish settlers and turns the strip over to the Palestinians. And what do the Palestinians do? They repeat what the Jordanians did, leaving Jerusalem.

When did East Jerusalem, and new settlements become an issue for the Palestinians? It was President Obama, during the Middle Eastern Apology Tour, who unilaterally declared, “no new settlements in Jerusalem,” as a precondition to peace talks, not the Palestinians. Palestinian PM Abbas jumped on this as yet another reason to delay peace negotiations. This is not the first time the Palestinians wrestled defeat from the jaws of success. Time after time, Israel has offered concessions, including a 2-state solution, going all the way back to the Carter Administration. And, time after time, from Arafat to Abbas, the puppet masters pulling the strings from oppressive regimes in the Middle East, yanked defeat out of the arms of success.

Now, after so many years, Israelis weary of the build up of arms along it Northern frontier with Lebanon and inside Gaza, elected a conservative government which has stated loud and clear: Jerusalem is not a settlement, it is our capitol!

Did Obama snub Netanyahu? Of course he did. Was it intentional? Of course it was. The “meeting” was scheduled past “prime time” in Israel, and Mr. Netanyahu was denied all of the usual protocol normally given to a heads of state, friend and foe alike. Mr. Obama can bow to a Saudi Prince, cuddle up to Hugo Chavez, but the only ally the United States has, and can count on, in the Middle East, is treated to the most humiliating display of a school yard bully I can remember in my lifetime, by a sitting president.

In covering the worsening relations with Israel, the world press is ignoring the 2,000 lb gorilla in the room: Iran. The United States has all but given up on Iran and Israel can’t afford to wait much longer. I believe that Israel’s stance on so-called settlements is a warning to Iran that Israel needs support from the United States, but will, when push comes to shove, take care of itself even if it has to go it alone. As late as March 30th, Obama and French President Sarkozy, meeting in Washington, continue calling for “tough sanctions” against Iran. But it’s all talk, and Iran knows it.

Other questions that American can ignore, but Israel can’t. Who speaks for Palestinians? The PA has authority only in the West Bank. It’s Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip. Hamas has no intention of making peace with Israel. What about Lebanon? Hezbollah, financed by Iran through its Syrian surrogate, has amassed over 40,000 rockets on the border with Israel. Has the Administration taken any action to diffuse the situation in Southern Lebanon?

When many Palestinians were displaced in 1948, after Palestine was partitioned by the UN, where did they go? Most went to Jordan and Egypt. The Arab world wants Israel to pay compensation to the displaced families, and repatriation to Israel. Why? Weren’t they fully integrated into the Muslim societies where they waited for the full destruction of the new State of Israel? No. The were kept as second class citizens in refugee camps with no facilities, no opportunities for work or study, and treated like prisoners.

What about the Jewish residents of Arab countries in 1948? Many were killed, and almost 100% were evicted from there homes and exiled to other countries, mostly Israel. Anybody notice any country, anywhere, calling for compensation and repatriation of these refugees?

There is still time for Israel and the Obama administration to repair the damage, but I doubt it will happen. And, as prophesized, Israel will go it alone, and that’s not in anyone’s best interest. No, Obama is not good for Israel.

Anyway, that’s my opinion.

Shalom,

David Talbot

Israel 2010, Part 5

Israel 2010, Part 5
©2010 By David Talbot
February 16, 2010

Tel Aviv, Israel. I was planning on writing about the Galillee Region this week, but got side-tracked by a visit to Jerusalem. So, we’ll chat about the Galillee in the next report.


Jerusalem (Getting there): There are several ways to travel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Taking a commercial tour is the best option for the first visit. There are lots of tours available through your hotel, the Israel Tourist Office, or online. If you have a car, Highway 1 is very good with excellent signage and gas stations at several points along the route. Another option is by train. Israeli trains are very comfortable, are reasonably priced, and run frequently between all major points in their system. Last, and the method we chose, you can go by Sherut (mini-bus).


The Sherut system in Israel is interesting, to say the least. In Tel Aviv, Sherut routes parallel the city bus system. So, from our apartment, we can take either the number 16 bus, or the number 16 Sherut, to the Central Bus Station. The big difference is that Sheruts only carry 8 to 10 passengers. When they’re full, they continue to the Central Station and only take on new fares as current passengers get off.

Another odd characteristic of the citywide Sherut system is the way you pay. Passengers get onboard and go directly to empty seats. They then tap the shoulder or arm of the person in front of them and pass the 5.80 shekels forward, similar to getting a hot dog at a ball game when you are sitting in the middle of a row. Everyone knows what to do. If possible, sit near the front of the Sherut and become a part of the cash going up to the driver and any change going back. It’s a hoot!

For inter-city transportation, you board Sheruts at the Central Bus Station in Tel Aviv. And then, you wait. Inter-city Sheruts only depart to the destination city when they’re full. If you’re going to Jerusalem or Haifa, it may take 10 minutes or less to fill. If you are going to a destination less traveled, it could take 30 minutes or more before you depart.

Arriving in Jerusalem you discover the reason why it’s better to let someone else do the driving. Streets choked with traffic, impossible parking, wide boulevards that become turning and twisting little alleys, and other drivers with more death wishes than Charles Bronson, is why we take the Sherut.

The Sherut from Tel Aviv drops you off at the Jerusalem Central Station where you take the number 1 bus directly to the Old City. In fact, it circles the Old City so the visitor can depart at the most convenient of the four entrance gates for your destination inside.

To return to Tel Aviv, simply reverse the process.

Tel Aviv to Jerusalem costs 22 Shekels each way (About $6.00) and takes about 45 minutes.


Jerusalem (The Old city): Jerusalem, Israel’s Capitol, is the premier destination for the majority of travelers to the Holy Land. Every step you take here is in the footsteps of the ancient ancestors of Jews, Christians, and Muslims.

The Old City is divided into four areas, all but one open to visitors: The Armenian Quarter (Closed), the Jewish Quarter, the Arab Quarter, and the Christian Quarter. Each area has a distinct flavor. Regardless of religious preference, each is a “Must See” at least once during any trip here.

Each quarter is a fully functioning city with apartments, shops, restaurants, schools, etc. There are Synagogues, Churches, and Mosques, ancient and modern, throughout the Old City.


The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Via Dolorosa, Western Wall, and Dome of the Rock, are all within its walls, and open to visitors. All of these sites can be seen in one day, if that’s all you have. Alternatively, you could move here and spend a lifetime and still miss something.

On our current visit, we stuck with the Jewish Quarter and the Western Wall, having visited all the Christian sites, and shopped in the Arab Quarter on prior visits.

One thing we noticed on this trip: a lack of respect for the nature of the religious sites. When visiting the Western Wall, synagogues, mosques, or churches, please dress appropriately, and conduct yourself with decorum.

Most Israel tours spend 3 to 4 days in Jerusalem, with a half- day tour of the Old City included in the package. Many package tours also offer optional extended tours of the Old City, the entire Capitol, and specific sites of interest. If you are on a package tour and have a “free” day, consider a side trip to Masada (the fortress of King Herod, and the last stronghold of the zealots) and the Dead Sea (the lowest point on earth). These two are usually combined in one full day optional tour. If you are traveling on your own, you may book these tours with the concierge desk of your hotel, or online.


If you prefer, one day trips from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Masada, The Dead Sea, and Galillee can be arranged through the Israel Tourist office.

Next report: Galillee Region and some final thoughts.

Shalom,

David Talbot

Banning Christmas in Jerusalem

Banning Christmas in Jerusalem
©2009 David Talbot

This may sound like an unlikely topic for a Jewish guy to be writing about. Especially if he happens to be an Orthodox Zionist Jew. But this news has got me riled up. Here’s the background to this story.

Rabbi Brad Hershfeld writes in his “Windows and Doors” blog, that a group called “Lobby for Jewish Values,“ is handing out fliers condemning Christmas, pushing for a ban on all public displays of Christmas trees and other "foolish" Christian symbols and asking the public to boycott restaurants and other public institutions which do so..”

In addition to the fliers, “Lobby for Jewish Values” has been printing and distributing the name and locations of restaurants as a guide, and has enlisted the help of one of the groups who grant Kashrut licenses to restaurants and stores selling food and other products. With out those licenses, observant Jews who keep kosher, can not patronize these establishments.

“Have the abused become the abusers?” asks Rabbi Hershfeld.

The issue brings up a fundamental political dilemma for Israel. “The Jewish state wants to be two things: A Jewish state and a free democratic state.” Writes Morten Berthelsen in HAARETZ.com, on December 21st. But if all Israelis were to celebrate Christmas, can it still be called a Jewish State? Or, if all Christmas celebrations and symbols are removed, can it be called a free democratic state?

Political issues aside, “Lobby for Jewish Values” ideas seem to be in direct conflict with most Jewish values as expressed in Torah, and by our sages. In more than one section of the Torah, we are told not to “mistreat the strangers among you for you were once a stranger in Egypt.” Does the removal of objects and symbols sacred to Christians equate with “mistreatment”? I think so. Have our sages not decreed that any non-Jew who follows the Noahide commandments has a place in the world to come? And have not our Torah and our sages repeatedly stated to “treat every person the way you would wish to be treated”? Yes, on both counts.

As we just finished the celebration of Chanukah, where a small army of Jews fought for the right to worship according to their beliefs, against a society determined to strip them of their symbols and customs, can we really support such a movement to do exactly to our Christian Israelis what Antiocus tried to do unto us? I can’t.

Anyway, that’s my opinion.

Shalom,

David Talbot