I was supposed to visit Israel the summer of 2020. The trip is to go to a puzzle convention, plus a little touring. For some reason, the puzzle convention was cancelled a couple of times, but now it’s supposed to happen.
But now there’s, let’s say political unrest in the nation.
I have tickets and prepaid expenses, but i could walk away from that.
Is it likely to be safe?
Will anything be open?
Am i supporting a movement i object to by going?
Am i likely to get stuck there if there’s a general strike?
Might it be even harder to visit in the future?
Other stuff i ought to be thinking of?
There is no “unrest” that will affect you.
There are two large demonstrations held once or twice a week in two major road intersections, one in Tel Aviv and one in Jerusalem.
For several hours, those demonstrations create big traffic jams.
If you aren’t driving anywhere during those hours, you won’t even know they happened.
The bus driver and tour guide will know which streets to avoid, because nobody likes to get stuck in traffic jams.
ABSOLUTELY YES, even if you attend the demonstrations. But do stay on the sidewalk and don’t go near the people who block traffic in the streets. That’s illegal, and the police arrest them.
I am the one who posted in another thread a link to a story that a general strike was being “discussed”, but it seems, from what I understood, there is no chance of such a thing as early as next week. Which means that everything will be safe and open as usual. Keep in mind that public transport in Israel on weekends and holidays is a pain in the ass. As for supporting or not supporting a movement, you could join a protest if you felt like it, or stay away; I think that, given that there is no strike, you would not be crossing a picket line by patronizing any business that is open as usual.
If a region or country is considered to be dangerous by the state department, they issue travel advisories/warnings. I’ve heard nothing. GO! You don’t know what the future holds. You’ll be fine.
I doubt you’d be in any danger or anything like that. As noted, even the protests should be safe.
I was just there the last time Bibi floated the law (at that time protests made him back down), and other than some of my cousins going to protests and passing the crowds when driving a few times it really didn’t impact me much.
That said, if a general strike does happen while you’re there, that could be a majoe pain in the ass. And this kind of BS by Netanyahu is pretty much unprecedented, so things could definitely escalate. (I doubt they would in a violent way, I mean escalate towards a strike).
I don’t think you’re really supporting anyone by going; I’d go if I were you!
I think if you wait until there is no unrest in Israel, you will never go!
I did a solo visit a few years ago; stayed in the old town of Jerusalem, and had no real trouble.
The only time I felt it wise to take precautions was when a demonstration of palestinians was marching out of the Damascus gate while I was trying to go in; I ducked into a nearby shop until they were past.
Now I’m a reasonably able-bodied man, and I took the usual precautions: dress anonymously with nothing to indicate country of origin, carry no visible valuables, walk briskly at all times as if you know exactly where you are going, and maintain situational awareness. You should be fine.
Two tips: don’t change money in the old town, you will get a horrible rate.
And watch out for ‘friendly’ locals in the old town who will steer you into souvenir shops and then try to charge you for ‘guide services’!
I usually withdraw money into local currency at an ATM. I make sure to use the local currency option, and not the airport “we can change the money for you” option. My bank gives fair rates on those transactions.
Is Israel a country where currency is used much? A lot of countries aren’t, these days.
I have pre-paid for guides, and don’t have a lot of free time, so I’m really not in the market for local guide services, good or otherwise.
I was wondering if it might actually be safer to look like a tourist at the moment. I feel like tourists are not involved in the current situation. I probably can’t help but look like a tourist, though, as all my clothes and stuff are American.
Jerusalem is a world of its own, so I can’t really tell you, but you can manage just fine in the greater Tel Aviv area, and most of the rest of the country, without any cash at all.
I guess this is one of those ‘Your Mileage May Vary’ cases. Being an obvious tourist will probably make you more of a target for pickpocketing and other money scams, but might render you less likely to be a target for possible political violence.
My personal preference is to try to look as anonymous as possible. Oddly enough, a lot of scammers seem to guess I’m French, for some reason…
you can use plastic almost everywhere, but definitely have some Israeli cash on hand too. You might want to tip your tour guide. Or buy street food.
Or find for some weird reason that your card isn’t accepted at one shop*
*(This is true for any country, not just Israel. I travelled to the good ol’ USA last summer, and my Israeli-issued Visa card worked fine, everywhere. Until it didn’t. At a huge chain restaurant, of all places. Cash saved the day.)
Yeah, at the Olympics, i like to play the game “spot the Americans”. There are American athletes who are ethnically purebred Han Chinese, and American athletes who look like some of the Africans and Europeans. And i can almost always spot the Americans. They walk differently, and hold their bodies differently, and … i dunno, look like Americans. Sometimes a Canadian confuses me, or a foreign athlete who trained in the US.
I wouldn’t think that’d be an issue. I wouldn’t expect the protests to get violent, certainly not towards someone who isn’t protesting themselves. I’d be more concerned about the usualy threats (and while terrorist attacks are actually pretty rare, old Jerusalem is one of the places where stabbings do happen sometimes). Personally I’m much more nervous about random gun violence when in the US than about terrorism when in Israel, but YMMV.
I’m not saying things won’t grow worse in coming months, but so far I’ve never heard of anyone harassed in the streets due to their clothing or appearance.
Edit: except for the usual, of course. Don’t show too much (or any) skin in an ultra-Orthodox neighborhood. There have been violent occurrences.
Whatever happens I think we want the full story when you get back. There could be some interesting twists and turns. If there is a strike you will have a heck of a tale to tell when you do get back.
Anyway, I’ve traveled a lot, and have a money belt and deep front pockets. I’ve never been pick pocketed, and I’m careful not to carry more than i can afford to lose in my pockets. I might be cheated, or charmed into spending too much. But I’m not worried about losing my passport or my only access to funds.
