The biggest question that people have when looking at traveling to Israel is whether it is safe. If you’re asking that question, then you’re in the right place. Having been in the military, I’ve traveled to some pretty cool places and some rather unsafe ones. Before I go anywhere though, I do my research and evaluate the threats.
So, is Israel safe to visit? Yes, it is. According to the World Tourism Organization, in 2017, 3.6 million tourists traveled to Israel. In 2018, 4.1 million people visited. And 4.55 million visited in 2019. If it wasn’t safe, those numbers wouldn’t be going up.
Tourism is a $6 billion industry for Israel. Religious and religiously significant sites draw Christian and non-Christian tourists alike. Israel, as well as other countries, have a vested interest in your wellbeing.
If you open another tab on your web browser you can quickly find news stories about terrorism in Israel. Or the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. These threats certainly exist, but it’s like saying don’t visit Los Angeles because of the gangs.
Millions of people visit Disneyland every year despite being within an hour of some of the most violent neighborhoods in the world.
Don’t ignore the reports, but keep in mind that the real threat is something you’ll find anywhere. Petty crime.
Let’s take a look at the security situation for your trip and see if we can answer your safety concerns.
All links are direct.
What does the State Department say about security in Israel?
The US Department of State (USDoS) has placed the Travel Advisory level for Israel, the West Bank and Gaza at “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution.” USDoS recommends ‘no travel’ to the Gaza strip and ‘reconsider travel’ to the West Bank.
Note: The current travel advisory is at Level 3 due to COVID-19. Other assessments remain the same.
The reasons USDoS site for Gaza are “terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict.” I agree with them. Don’t go to Gaza! There’s nothing there with respect to your tour anyway.
For the West Bank, the reason is “terrorism, potentially violent civil unrest, and the potential for armed conflict.” What USDoS doesn’t say is that these problems exist in pockets. Just like there are pockets of problems in Los Angeles.
The difference is that USDoS is in the business of foreign relations. Part of this business is making sure Americans traveling abroad don’t become a liability. But they don’t have the time, money or resources to provide in-depth assessments of pockets in the West Bank. So, we get 1 assessment.
For non-US readers, I recommend you check out what your government has to say about travel to Israel.
What you need to know about terrorism in Israel.
Terrorist organizations, like Hamas and Hezbollah, are after the Israeli government, not you.
In today’s media-saturated public sphere, Hamas, also the ruling political party in Palestine, needs a positive public image. Launching an attack in the Old City will do nothing for them in the long term.
Terrorism, civil unrest, and armed conflict do exist in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. However, it manifests in the form of small attacks against the Israeli Defense Force in pockets of the West Bank and Gaza. The goal is to get the Israeli Defense Force to retaliate.
When information trickles back it can be spun or controlled. Arguments will ensue about who shot first.
Hamas can’t do this in the Old City. Or even in places like Bethlehem or Jericho. No one is going to believe that a bunch of tourists started something.
The other thing to consider is that tourists buy food and souvenirs. Christian tourists, in particular, are generally older, kind-hearted and they are willing to spend a few bucks. There is no reason to ruin that relationship.
This is a stark contrast to the terrorism of the 70s, 80s, and 90s.
9/11 was a sad day, and the US response to go into both Iraq and Afghanistan will forever be debated. But something terrorist organizations learned from those engagements is media literacy. Killing a bunch of civilians muddles their message. It makes them unrelatable, even with the approval of certain Muslim populations.
Because of this, when things do happen, they are almost exclusively directed at Israeli Security. And attacks are rare, usually unplanned, and almost never succeed.
In 2015, when I was in Jerusalem, a young Arab man rushed a security patrol with a knife. He didn’t reach the patrol alive.
How do terrorists choose who they attack?
Depending on who you talk to, the business of terrorism is either complicated or simple. I tend to think it’s more towards the simplistic side, but not all the way.
Terrorists select their targets based on the message it will send. There are two types of targets. Symbols and personalities.
Symbols include things like the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, or the FBI building in Oklahoma City. Civilians are just innocent bystanders to these groups. Casualties of war. Not murder.
One of the tenets of the Islamic faith is the prohibition of iconography. Which is why they prohibit the displaying of the image of the prophet Muhammad. And go after anyone that tries to.
The Western World is filled with symbolism and symbols of might. Symbolism isn’t bad, but it can lead to idol worship. Because of the West’s cultural relationship with symbolism, Islamic culture sees us as apostates. And the penalty for that crime is death.
So, if an apostate or infidel die in the destruction of a symbol, they had it coming anyway.
Personalities include people who represent governments that a terror group opposes. This includes public figures, law enforcement, military, and pretty much anyone who wears a uniform.
Law enforcement and military are the easiest to target. Public figures are difficult because they are moving targets. And the higher the individual the more layered the security.
In Israel, terror groups mainly attack personalities. Israeli security specifically. Because so many locations are claimed by different religions and ethnicities, the message won’t be clear. It will only give credence to the idea that Muslims don’t have a claim to the location. If they did, they wouldn’t attack it.
Sometimes these attacks do occur though.
How does Israel deal with terrorism?
The Israelis have been in the business of anti-terrorism long before the rest of the world has. And they deal with it on a more routine basis than any other country.
If you visit during peak travel seasons, you’ll see small teams made up of military and law enforcement personnel everywhere. On the metro. In the shopping mall. In the Old City. Having lunch at the little café on the corner.
These soldiers aren’t chilling out. They’re on patrol. Their job is to roam the streets. Some of them are merely there to sound the alarm. The rest are the responders. If you see them, the bad guys see them as well.
Terrorism centers around what the military calls asymmetric warfare. Attacks are executed in a way that a target does not have the opportunity to fight back.
Asymmetric warfare works best when security postures are low or nonexistent. Attackers carry only their secret weapon so as to maintain an unsuspecting posture. So, confrontations are to be avoided at all costs.
In Israel, security is extremely high. There are security patrols everywhere. They know what to look for and the mere fact that they are looking tends to make would-be attackers nervous. Which, in turn, makes them much more noticeable.
Outside of Jerusalem, the sites you will see are often isolated. No one is going to hike up Masada to harass some tourists. Or lurk about the rocks at Mount Precipice. That’s just mean. Yet there is still security at most of these places.
Overall, Israel often feels safer than most US cities.
Is the West Bank safe to visit?
If your itinerary has Bethlehem, Sebaste, Shechem, Jericho, or Qumran on it, you’re going to the West Bank. You might even pass through the West Bank if you travel from Jerusalem to Galilee and back. Security is heavy at the checkpoints, but only when leaving Palestinian Territory.
Depending on your travel history, the West Bank will either look like a slum or like any other location in the Middle East. To me, it just looks like the rest of the Middle East. And some parts look like the rest of Israel.
Needless to say, I was not surprised by the West Bank. And whatever fears I had about security were subdued. When we got off the bus, it was rather apparent that the locals were used to us.
Most of the sites in the West Bank are “roadside attraction” type stops. With the exception of Bethlehem and Sebaste, you won’t be walking through town or anything.
Street vendors and free-lance tour guides will descend on your group as soon as you arrive in Bethlehem. Millions of tourists travel to the city of Jesus’s birth every year and they spend money on food, refreshments, and souvenirs. The city square has souvenir shops and cafés as well.
The locals appreciate your business. And, the pickpockets and swindlers, the actual threat, will appreciate your presence.
Some tours will stop at a site in the city of Sebaste. It’s the ruins of the ancient city. It is also in a bad part of town. Not terrorist bad, petty crime bad. Get off the bus, stay with the group. Don’t wander off.
What is swindling?
According to Google, swindling is the “use of deception to deprive (someone) of money or possessions.” In the vast majority of the world, buying goods is done through bartering. There are no price tags or fixed prices. You have to negotiate a price.
In the West Bank, you will get bombarded with young boys and old men pleading for you to buy something from them. If you aren’t interested, they’ll offer something else until you do buy. Sometimes the boys can get really aggressive.
Westerners are easy targets for swindling because we are used to paying a price as is. Non-westerners know this and use it to their advantage. In most countries I’ve visited the price you are quoted is often around three times the actual cost.
Sometimes these street peddlers are legitimate businesses. I’m not sure how true this is, but there have been times when I felt a few young boys have literally stolen items from a storeowner to resell. They then pay back the storeowner and keep the profit.
If you want to buy something, I recommend buying from a store owner. Not a street peddler. In Israel, including the West Bank, storeowners are accustomed to westerners. For the most part, you will not have to barter with them. Some even have price tags.
Another swindling problem in Bethlehem specifically is at the Church of the Nativity. Men calling themselves tour guides will pressure you into paying them around $40 or $50 to give you a tour of the church. Don’t fall for this. It’s a ripoff and they aren’t tour guides.
Though I’m addressing swindling in the West Bank specifically, it exists worldwide.
Pickpocketing in the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Pickpocketing isn’t contained to the West Bank. There are petty thieves all over the world waiting for the right person and the right moment to strike. However, the West Bank can sometimes be overwhelming if you aren’t prepared.
On my first visit to the West Bank, I was bombarded by the ‘tour guides.’ But no young boys selling anything. The second time it was the opposite. When a swarm of young boys surrounds you, be leery and check your pockets.
Jerusalem has its issues as well. The Old City is the perfect playground for pickpocketing. The walkways are narrow and crowded with endless avenues of ingress and egress.
Like the West Bank, pickpockets come in the form of young children. Their height is perfect for getting into your pocket, purse or shoulder bag. And they can easily escape before you notice. Because they’re small you might not get a good look at them. When they run away, they’ll disappear into the crowd like a fawn in the forest.
What the Israeli’s are concerned about with tourists and the West Bank.
Like I said above, millions of tourists visit Israel every year. This includes groups and individuals from around the world who are Jewish, Christian, Muslim, non-religious, or have some other religious affiliation altogether. The Israeli government is concerned about your safety. But they’re also concerned about their national sovereignty.
Tourism is great for the economy; it also presents a problem. People who sympathize and want to take action to help the Palestinian cause can easily pretend to be tourists. Tourists who don’t know any better can be used unwittingly to cause damage to the State of Israel.
The West Bank is inside the State of Israel. However, Israel has made the policy decision to stay out of the Palestinian territories. This means there are no patrols like there are in Jerusalem.
Israeli security may board your bus when re-entering Israeli territory. They’ll have loaded weapons, so don’t get shifty. These security agents are probably the most professional I’ve ever seen. And that’s a good thing.
What they will be looking for are signs that anyone in the group is likely to be or is in league with a Palestinian bad actor.
Again, what they are looking for are behaviors and signs that are familiar to them as potential threats. If someone talked to a Palestinian bad actor or made friends with one, the security agents will want to know. Maybe you got information on an attack. Or maybe you’ve been recruited to be a witting or unwitting actor.
Most likely, though, security will look at your passport to ensure it’s legit and move on. They may also have a requirement for random checks and it’s your tour’s lucky day.
Whatever your politics are, this isn’t the time or place to push them.
Your Bus Driver May Be Your Biggest Ally.
The vast majority of bus drivers hired to drive tourist busses are Muslim. Yes, you heard that correct. Your bus driver will most likely be a Muslim Palestinian man.
I don’t know why this is. Maybe Israeli’s look down on the profession, so the companies end up hiring Muslims. Who knows?
This is a win-win situation. Your tour guide might know everything there is to know about the Holy Land and the Bible. What he or she probably doesn’t know, is Palestinian culture. Nor do they have the street smarts to navigate it.
Your bus driver will know where to drive in the West Bank and where not to. He’ll shoo off young boys who try to peddle to your group as you exit the bus. He’ll make sure the bus is locked and no one gets on board when you’re walking a site. This is true both in the West Bank and the rest of Israel. In the West Bank, the locals will respect his voice more than yours.
As a Palestinian, being a bus driver is a lucrative job. The pay and job security are too good to ruin. You might get a driver who’s a little heavy on the peddle, but that’s a small price. Having an ally in this part of the world is a benefit.
Most drivers will keep to themselves. They won’t approach the group. But it’s certainly Ok to approach them and get to know them a little. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it.
Sometimes tour groups will also collect a tip for the bus driver at the end of the tour.
Are there Jewish threats?
Surprisingly, if there was anyone looking to harm you, they would be from the orthodox, or Hasidic Jew population. On my trips to the Holy Land, I tend to visit the Western Wall a lot. I’ll go there in the evening to pray or enjoy the cool breeze and sunset. Maybe I’ll go at sunrise. Invariably I’ll get approached by an orthodox Jew asking for money.
Hasidic Jews are the portion of the population who wear the Jewish outfits. They pray at the Western Wall several times a day. You’ll see them being bussed in for prayers in the morning. Most of their day is spent in prayer and attending to strict religious practices. Because of this, many have low paying jobs or no jobs at all.
You may get approached by a Hasidic Jew and asked for money to support their community. They might get aggressive. Don’t give them money. You are not obligated to donate anything for visiting the Western Wall. Giving only encourages the behavior and occasional aggressiveness. If you want to donate money, do so through a legitimate organization.
For the most part, Hasidic Jews are not a problem. However, there have been cases in which they harass and sometimes attack Christians and Christian organizations. These organizations often own or rent property the orthodox community feels is divinely owed to them.
Unfortunately, the orthodox community still sees Christians as gentiles. It’s pretty much the same beef the two communities of faith have had for over 2,000 years.
Traveling in groups, responding with a confident and authoritative voice or being a muscle-bound bruiser will deter any issues with the Hasidic population. If something happens, leave the area immediately.
Biblical sites outside of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem and Bethlehem are the biggest concerns for you and your group.
Jericho is in the West Bank and might be a concern. Your tour may take you to see the archaeological dig site and have lunch. There is no city square for opportunists to hang out though. You may get approached by a peddler, but not to the extent you’ll find in Bethlehem.
If you go to the ‘wilderness,’ there are a few lookout sites in the West Bank on the way to Jericho. The same assessment applies here as Jericho. Occasionally a kid with a donkey might show up to peddle his ware, but the threat is not there. If you want to buy something from him or take a picture with his donkey, it’s up to you.
The people group you will encounter here are nomads who want to be left alone by the government. Tourists aren’t anything they worry about. We come on a bus, get out, take a picture, load the bus and leave.
The rest of Israel is a beautiful land. The vast majority of sites you will visit are often secluded and away from the humdrum of the cities. Some sites have large parking lots where the busses amass. In this case, you have safety in numbers; if safety is even an issue. The sites are run by the national park service and have appropriate levels of security in tune with the threat. If that makes sense.
Suffice it to say, no one is going to travel to Ein Gedi or Qumran to hurt a bunch of tourists. Or climb up Masada to make a couple of bucks in 100-degree heat.
Choose your tour group wisely.
People are people and sometimes a bad apple gets in the bag. By bad apple, I mean someone who introduces problems into the group. They constantly challenge the tour guide’s patience. Or they don’t take security seriously. It’s all an overzealous reaction to them.
Maybe the bad apple is a genuine person. However, they have an unrealistic expectation about the tour.
There’s the guy or gal who wanders off, away from the group to get a unique experience for themselves. The group is always looking for them when it’s time to load the bus.
Sometimes these people want to live out the actions of a favorite Bible story, such as the Good Samaritan. One guy in my church told me about getting invited to a Palestinian home for lunch in Bethlehem. He went on about how great the experience was.
That’s cool, but what did the group think? And what if something went wrong? What if Israeli security figured him out and detained him and the group? These people exist. And they have no awareness of how they impact the group.
This isn’t someone you want to be around. They invite problems and undue stress on the group. But you might end up with them on your tour nonetheless.
This is why traveling with your church or with a tour leader that you know or know has a reputable following.
What would an Unsafe Holy Land look like?
If you watch the news, the narrative will tend to skew towards an intensely unsafe situation. Tensions between the Israeli’s and Palestinians are a perpetually running roller coaster ride. Use the news for information. Don’t let it sway you. The reality is that every location in the world has a baseline normal.
The media will play that baseline down or up based on its particular world view. It rarely gives a straight forward assessment.
What I’ve tried to layout is the baseline normal for the Holy Land. And it’s not bad. It just has some rough edges.
If we look at this baseline normal, an unsafe Holy Land would look like consistent and overt air and/or ground combat. It will be an all-out offensive.
If you see images of the surrounding country’s armies amassing at the border, or even crossing the border, you will want to reconsider your trip. But this is true of any country in the world.
Every now and then, tensions in the West Bank or Gaza Strip escalate. The two sides engage in small conflicts that often last a week. If you picked an experienced tour guide, they will have their ear to the ground. They will know what to do.
These small situations are often isolated to contentious areas where tourists don’t go. Your trip will most likely not be affected.
If there was a litmus test for determining if you should cancel your trip, it would be the airlines. If airlines start canceling flights, particularly the major western airlines, it is probably a good sign not to go.
If you’re an American citizen and USDoS places a travel ban on Israel. Stay home.
Other Reference:
Tourism Data at the World Bank (Direct Link)
