I'm going to visit Egypt and I'm thinking about visiting Israel as well, be very honest is it very dangerous?

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stop me if you can

i went to both a little while ago. The summation of my trips are the security in Israel was great and the entire country is wonderful! My trip to Egypt was just plain sad. Despite the incredible sights the condition of the country is poor as well as the people. It's hard to walk around with children constantly begging or trying to sell you something.I was happy I visited Egypt but would never return. I would go back to Israel and will soon.

Ã± Ã… Ã± Ã‘ Ã¼

No tourists are kidnapped in Egypt; this is nonsense, and sewage?? wonâ€™t comment on that.
Believe me, the sights you see and the places you visit with thousands of years of history and the friendly people are one of a kind and makes a hell of a great visit.
Iâ€™m Egyptian but I will try to be neutral. I donâ€™t know what is there to visit in a 50 year old country but if there is something I would probably like to see it, and I believe its safe (not for me as an Egyptian but for non Arabs) because the security I believe will be very overwhelming. Just donâ€™t go near Gaza (because a massacre is currently in progress) and the north, and donâ€™t join in an anti occupation protest or youâ€™ll be run over by a bulldozer. Enjoy.

John E

For the exact reasons I had to cancel my daughter's summer trip to Israel.
There is absolutely no way anyone that can predict when or where a Palestinian guerrilla will retaliate within Israel.
I would postpone my trip to Israel until both sides sit around a table and start talking peace.
Not only then I'd feel more safe but also I'd use this trip to encourage and welcome peace.
South Italy or a Greek islands cruise would sound more reasonable if I were you my dear.
In any case I wish you the best of times.

Lizard

I am an Israeli. Once you are in Israel you will laugh at your security concerns. Almost any city in Israel is by far safer then anywhere in US. You can find truble if you look for one, but it is very safe in Israel besides particular areas. You may enter those areas if you wish, but you will pass through security check point and you would be warned in advance. So you won't be able just to wander off somewhere and all of a sudden find yourself in danger zone. But if you just tour any Israeli city such as Jerusalem, Tiberias, Tel-Aviv, Eilat, Haifa and so on you will never feel any danger around you. Crime is very low in Israel and security is great. Trust me if you come you will have the greatest time and you will lough at your fears.

Sara

I second what the Nasserist said, I wouldn't risk going to Israel. However, you'll be fine in Egypt, there are lots of things to do and the HISTORY etc.

tamarindwalk

Neither place is dangerous if you pay attention to what your government's warnings say prior to travel. Also, remember, when you visit one or the other, it is best to avoid local politics. Most citizens of foreign countries enjoy having visitors - but they would expect that visitors do not involve themselves in local political or government matters.

Lolla

First, Israel is a new country (only 50 years old), its history cannot be compared with that of Egypt, not to mention that Israeli people are somewhat unfriendly and rude in nature since the vast majority is forced into joining the army. The military life and the endless wars has turned them into cold and heartless occupiers, and the fact they are unwanted by every other country in the region makes them pretty much isolated. As to answering your question: Is it safe? Israel has historical record of wars since it was established as a state, for the past 50 years, EVERY SINGLE YEAR, some kind of fighting has been going on caused by that country...

A friend of mine just got back from there 2 weeks ago and loved it. They had a great time.

The Nasserist

I went to Israel (in 2006) and I swear 7 rockets landed right next to my hotel. And mind you that Hezbollah vowed revenge against Israel this year because the Israelis just killed one of their top commanders recently.

So, this year especially, Israel is probably going to be VERY dangerous. I would honestly, postpone it to another year.

At every security checkpoint in Israel (and there are a bunch) the Israeli soldiers abuse you verbally (sometimes physically) if you're a non-Jew and the people there are cold and rude to any one who isn't Jewish.

Look at this very recent example of Israelis attacking a non-Jew: http://news.haaretz.co.il/hasen/spages/964106.html

About the humiliation faced by non-Israelis at checkpoints: http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=467

And here's a map of all the checkpoints and roadblocks in Israel to give you an idea of how hard it is for people to move around: http://www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/Israeli%20Checkpoints.jpg

They don't even let pregnant women pass sometimes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPwKmxJJ6C0&feature=related

This alone should make you not want to go there. It's a pain in every way.

Plus, Israel has no culture to it (their country is only about 50 years old). They behave, look and act just like Europeans (except poorer, rude and extremely religious).

The streets in Israel are very pedestrian un-friendly and the traffic there is terrible (7 million cars in very small country and tons of checkpoints).

I recommend you go to Lebanon or Syria instead. They are much more beautiful, the people are warm, they have a true Middle Eastern/Mediterranean culture, and the sights there are much nicer than Israel's.

As for Egypt; Egyptians are known through-out the Middle East and Africa as the most warm-hearted, friendliest and funniest people in the region, the sights there are AMAZING, (Israel can't compete with the Pyramids and the Sphinx) and the food is AWESOME!

You'll have a blast in Egypt! Guaranteed!

The problem with Egypt is the traffic and you have to travel by taxi everywhere but the taxis are extremely cheap and you won't spend alot of time moving around. The good thing is that all the taxi drivers (and anybody involved in tourism) know how to speak like 4 languages fluently.

So, Egypt; no problems. You will have the time of your life there.

But Israel; save it for next year at least when the political turmoil dies down. Till then go to Lebanon or Syria. They're much better destinations than Israel is anyway.

berkeleyjake

Israel is safe, the security is top notch, a lot of americans may complain about it, like being given a sweep with a metal detecting wand before going into Mc Donalds but it doesn't hinder anyone. I also feel safer walking around at night than I did when I lived in the US, if you're a girl you do need to learn to tell Israeli guys to **** off and leave you alone.

But like other people have said, it's probably not a good idea to go near Gaza or run around the west bank, the west bank is less dangerous, but I wouldn't go to Ramalah for a nice hookah bar no matter how much the ones in Israel suck.

To reply what The Nasserist said: checkpoints? yeah, if you're driving through the west bank, sure, but not in Israel. free to drive everywhere. The soldiers you'll most likely run into if you're not in the west bank are going to be on leave for a couple days and will most likely be the young ones, 18-22, and very friendly and just like any other person their age.

And for not being Jewish? what? you've got to be nuts. You should see the amount of tourists that come through here. We've even started to get the Asian invasion. You can't go near a bus station in the summer without seeing those huge tourist groups of chinese and japanese people swarming around and I'm relatively sure they're not Jewish. I told my goyim(non jewish) friends back home about life here and last summer a few came here and had a blast.

His assessment of the traffic is accurate though but the taxis, busses, and trains are very efficient and very tourist friendly. The best advice I have for using a car in Israel is: don't.

As for culture, you've got all the culture that stretches back about +3000 years. We don't have the pyramids or a sphinx, but I guess that's about all the loss there is.

As for food, Israel has the best, since it is a country mainly composed of immigrants you have all the middle eastern delicacies as well as food from every corner of the planet.

If you're going to Israel as a tourist, this is about all the danger you'll encounter
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4-l8XfpkC0&feature=related

I'm sure if you're going to Israel to go running around the west bank, you're sure to run into check points and you'll definitely be questioned by soldiers going through them and most likely they won't let you through because they don't want to endanger any tourists in the country.

Whoo!

No, I swear.

Mark S, JPAA

I'm sending my daughter to Israel this summer. Does that answer your question?

mianmannoi

You might want to consider whether someone who has chosen "the Nasserist" as his screen name is a reliable source for information about Israel. Pretty much everything he says in his post is pure fantasy.

In any case, from a pure statistical perspective, you are much safer in Israel than in Egypt, or most other countries. The few violent crimes that do occur get a lot of press, because they are suicide bombings, which makes for great TV, and Israel has a free press.

You are much more likely to get attacked in many other parts of the world, but it would be by common criminals, not terrorists, and therefore does not make it on international TV. Compare the murder rate in major cities in other countries to the murder rate in, for example, Tel Aviv (including murders committed by terrorists). You're much safer in Tel Aviv than elsewhere.

In Egypt, you get the double-whammy of high violent "street crime" rates AND violent terrorism by Islamic extremists -- but the Egyptian government does not allow TV cameras access to the aftermath, so the terrorist attacks don't make a big splash in the news.

doodle

If you stay away from Gaza, the borders of the West Bank, probably the borders of Israel/Lebanon, and you stay out of large groups in big cities (especially Jerusalem), you'll be fine. You're more likely to die from a car accident in the US (or in Israel) than a terrorist attack in Israel. It's true that terrorist attacks happen, and when they do the media is all over them - so it makes it seem like they happen all over the place, all the time, when in reality they don't. If you decide to go, have a great trip!

Shalom, Salaam

rocketeer548

unless you're going to sderot israel is probably one of the safest countries in the world, because they acknowledge the threat. just don't be stupid.

Freedom F

If you check the newspaper, you will see that they recently had two instances of mass murder in the streets.

It is your call. If you have kids and a family though, perhaps you should be more responsible.

wonderful life

I heard Egypt from the time you land to the time you take off back to america it stinks because of sewage. But the sights are supposed to be amazing.

Just as safe as Egypt!

Bravo Sierra

it is dangerous, just imagine the rockets coming from Gaza, suicide bombing hizbolah in the north, the war can start anytime just go to Egypt.
If you visit Egypt everything is authentic and real but in Israel everything is fake and assembled newly to change the history of the country.
G.trip and Good luck.

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