War in Gaza: Is it still safe to visit Israel?

So the current war raging in Gaza might be putting your ideas of a quick vacation to the Holy Land on hold a bit. But living as I do in the center of the country, and where the majority of Israel’s population lives and, in fact, where he would probably spend most of his vacations, he could be forgiven for thinking this way: “War? What, war here in Israel? You’re kidding right?”

Living in Tel Aviv it’s easy to see why things don’t look so dire. We are not constantly interrupted by the sounds of sirens wailing through the air, rushing to shelters, or boarding up windows. We haven’t stopped going to work, sending our kids to school and kindergarten, or going out for a beer.

We may be seeing more news, thanks to the general coverage, but are we really aware that, less than an hour’s drive away, people are practically living in shelters, school is canceled, and 18-19 year olds are They are gearing up to combat a rather nasty group of Hamas militants.

Just yesterday, driving home from some shopping, I turned to the wife and said, “It’s hard to believe there’s a war going on just an hour from here…” But she had fallen asleep, so I my two little ones in the back seat I laughed while making a face. The streets were full of traffic, as people strolled down the street, laughing at private conversations on their mobile phones while tucking their chins in from the cold breeze blowing through Tel Aviv (yes, it’s even cold here in Tel Aviv sometimes! Aviv!) .

But with the ongoing war in Gaza and Tel Aviv a possible target for long-range missiles, I’m not going to tell you that this is the perfect time to visit Israel. The bubble that is Tel Aviv is still a safe place to be (as I sit down to write and watch the foam 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 given out combat pants and jackets with M16s slung over their shoulders…

If you come on a trip to Israel and stay in the center of the country or even in Jerusalem, you will be fine. It is still safe in Israel, especially in the center of the country. You probably won’t even notice anything out of the ordinary, except for an obsession with watching the latest TV news updates. No doubt tourism in Israel is taking a hit, but the Israel Ministry of Tourism sums it up nicely:

“Representatives of the Ministry of Tourism are in direct and continuous contact with all elements of the tourism industry in Israel and abroad, through the managers of tourist offices located in different countries, and conduct daily assessments of the situation.

“The ministry would like to clarify that the military operation is taking place in the Gaza Strip and western Negev, which are far from Israel’s tourist and vacation spots, and therefore there is no reason for people to do not continue your visit to Israel.”

And you can always check your government’s travel advisory. For example, both the US and the UK warn against certain areas, specifically Gaza, but do not advise against travel to Israel in general.

I say come see the Old City of Jerusalem, dip your toes in the Mediterranean, have a beer or glass of wine and watch the sunset from your beach chair. By the time you’ve come and gone, this will all be over anyway. I wish.