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Tel Aviv Still Okay to Visit
Despite the reassuring sound of this Washington Post piece, I doubt many people will be booking flights into Tel Aviv. While Israel's northerners trapped in the grizzly realities of war between their country and Lebanon's Hizbollah may head down for a nice relaxing time on the beach to escape the daily rocket attacks, for foreigners it would still fall too close for comfort. According to the article business has been great in Tel Aviv and the entertainment and commercial capital of Israel continues to thrive during the dispute. Tel Aviv is located 130 miles (220 km) from Lebanon and hasn't been struck by missiles since the Gulf War in 1991. The city houses some 235 public bomb shelters that have recently been prepared with equipment, stretchers, and water. Israel's on my list and most certainly Tel Aviv, but I'd wait this one out.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Martin Siegal Aug 11th 2006 6:52AM
Just returned fro outr trip to Israel. Toured Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Negev, Judean Desert, Dead Sea and all surrounding areas in the south. It was the most wonderful trip we ever experienced. We travelled there on July 16 after the war broke out and just returned home. Never felt threatened or feared danger. People are wonderful and need tourist to come. We must support Israel and their people. Wish our trip was longer. I would go back today. Terrorism is all around us, no matter where you live or go. Not going to Israel is exactly what those terrorists are trying to acheive. Fight terrorism by supporting our country's stance on these evil people including Hezbollah and the like. When you walk the streets of the Old City in Jerusalem and touch and feel the history of our faiths, when you experience the beauty of Tel Aviv and see what these outstanding people have built in 58 short years while fighting all these surrounding enemies of peace, when you climb Masada and float in the Dead Sea or visit a Kibbutz and see how industrious, peace loving people have turned desert into a thriving community, you will then know what you have been missing.
N Aug 11th 2006 7:14AM
wow
Debbie Schwartz Aug 11th 2006 7:32AM
We just came back from Tel Aviv and did not feel any anxiety while we were there. Life goes on as usual in this city. It is still hopping at night as you walk down the promonade along the beach.
Joe O'Neil Aug 11th 2006 7:35AM
We just returned from spending/working five (5) weeks in Tel Aviv. It was our first (hopefully not our last) visit to Israel. We traveled all over Israel for the first few weeks, before the nothern fighting broke out. As much as Tel Aviv is safer, and we did spend a lot of time with people who fled to Tel Aviv from the north (Haifa, Carmel, Nazareth), we did feel very threatened in Tel Aviv. People were great to us...told us all the time we were safe, and we were...but the threat of suicide bombers was more frightening than even the threat of missiles reaching us in Tel Aviv. We curtailed much of our weekend travel for the last days because of the fighting in the north and south.
We love Israel and the Israeli people and would return...under these conditions, I doubt it??? Some Israelis said to us at the end of our stay, "you have a safe home...go to it". We wish we could have taken some of these wonderful people with us for their safety.
Mary Aug 11th 2006 7:37AM
Personally, I have been to Israel several times and Telaviv in particular is a wonderful city to visit. And as everyone knows, or should know, Israels' security is among the best in the world, if not THE best, so I would not hesitate to visit.
m stracher Aug 11th 2006 3:49PM
Please do not write articles about things that you have no idea about. Unless you have been to Tel Aviv, you should not write articles about its safety or not. Like many news people today you have tried to get people to read your article based on trying to come up with some scare tactic and far. Many of your reader's e-mails have more thought behind them than your article.They have been there recently. You should be ashamed of yourself.
Pam Aug 11th 2006 4:04PM
I'd go in a heartbeat, except just got back a month ago and can't afford to turn around quite so quickly. Best trip of my life, and Tel Aviv is a wonderful, cool city. Definitely returning to Israel within the next year. Yes, there were a couple times I wondered about safety from terrorist attacks, but wondered more about safety on Israel's notoriously crazy roads.
Terrorism -- and other hazards -- can happen anywhere. Israelis teach you that you must not let fear win; you must celebrate life while you have it.
m stracher Aug 11th 2006 4:19PM
interesting what articles you post and what you don't!!!!!!
Joe Aug 11th 2006 4:41PM
I would not take a chance. I have been to TelAviv many a times, but what I fear is the TENSION which is nerve racking. The sirens is a constant reminder that danger is in the air. May be nothing will happen, but the fear still looms.
Willodean Bentley Aug 11th 2006 4:42PM
I visited Israel in January 1999. I walked the streets where jesus walked. i would only go back if god directed me with his holy spirit and that is the only way. He is my guide and protector.
Bob LeMoullec Aug 11th 2006 4:49PM
I've been to Israel several times. It's one of the great experiences of my life. There's always a terror threat, but once you're there, you feel safe.
MONA Aug 11th 2006 5:14PM
I WAS IN TEL AVIV RECENTLY WHILE THE WAR WAS ON I FELT NO THREAT IT IS THE MOST EXCITING FUN PLACE I LOVE THE PEOPLE THERE NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON THERE IS STILL ON THE BOARDWALK 100S OF PEOPLE WALKING WITH THERE BABYS YOUNG AND OLD PEOPLE SMILING AND I HAVE TO FOR SURE SAY THE MEN ARE THE HOTTEST HOTTEST LOOKING MEN IN THE WORLD NO MATTER 18 OR 50 AND SO WARM SWEET AND VERY MATURE FOR THEIR AGES I WOULD HAVE STAYED LONGER BUT I GOT SICK AND HAD TO COME HOME NOW THAT I AM BETTER I WISH I WAS STILL THERE I RECCOMEND ANYBODY TO GO THERE EVEN NOW THANK YOU ALL THE ISRAELI PEOPLE WHO WERE SO KIND........
Jonathan Hasak Aug 11th 2006 5:19PM
I've been to Israel a number of times, most recently a month ago. My family was born there and I am probably going to return on a spiritual journey at some point before I graduate from Bard. I want to walk the steps where Jesus walked and nothing will stop me. But if I had to decide on when to return I'd probably wait until the tension is over, because you never know what could happen.
Clyde Narhi Aug 11th 2006 5:29PM
The last time we flew to Europe we would not even accept a transfer in New york City, preferring for safety, to pay more to transfer in Boston despite the greater expense. Israel is the last place in the world we would go to until Israel makes peace and ceases stealing more and more settlement lands from their nieghbors and withdraws from the West Bank.
samia daoudi Aug 11th 2006 5:35PM
interesting how you extoll the beauty OF MY COUNTRY, Palestine, the 6,000 year old homeland of MY PEOPLE, the palestinians, which was not given to the jews by their real estate god. the fact that they stole it once before in antiquity gives them no right to steal it again today...THAT IS THE PROBLEM OF THE MIDDLE EAST IN A CONCISE, SUCCINCT STATEMENT. you forced a bunch of european jews into someone else's modern populated nation...and now u post letters that call us "terrorists." Shame on all of you. Dont wonder why the arabs and muslims hate america...just wonder why america supports the terrorists in israel.
Patti Mitchell Aug 11th 2006 5:45PM
My son(24)and I were in Egypt when the war broke out on July 12,2006. We had toured Egypt extensively. Our tour guide had just picked up our tickets to Aaman, Jordan. We knew that the Raddison Hotel had the two bottom floors blown away by suicide bombers before we went. Our tour angency insisted it was safe. When I received a phone call from my husband telling us what had occured and to return home immediately, we contacted our travel agent. He said that since our plans were to travel in Israel after Jordan, he would recommend us to come home immediately. He also stated that he had so many cancellations, that the wise thing we would be to come home. I cannot understand these other people's comments about how safe it is in Israel...
MaryLou Michelin Aug 11th 2006 5:53PM
I am waiting to see what happens when the United Nations slams Israel with war crimes for killing innocent children. But right now the Middle East is not on my travel agenda.
MaryLou Michelin
Rhonda Aug 11th 2006 5:56PM
It's a shame this had to be made politcal and hateful. Your comments give Palestinians a bad name when in reality the majority are wonderful, kind and peaceful people just wanting to live their lives and let others live in peace too.
Sandy Schwartz Aug 11th 2006 6:04PM
To Samia Daoudi,
Please!! YOU have millions of people in a dozen countries that comprise the Middle East...you can live peacefully ANYWHERE, but instead you insist on using your own people (Palestinians) to push out Israel which occupies one 16th of that land! They have just as much a right to be there as you do...NEWS FLASH...you all come from the SAME PEOPLE!!
Israel has built a beautiful land out of a desert and some rocks...how convenient for someone else to come in and claim it for themselves!
bruce lunham Aug 11th 2006 6:05PM
Have you people had too many blintz or what!