I know you all are thinking it. When I officially announced my trip to Israel, I was met with a lot of mixed reactions. It’s like I could read every thought going through people’s minds when I told them of my trip: “I know Israel holds a lot of historical and religious significance. It’s even on my bucket list. But really, is it safe to travel to Israel?“
My dad even told me that he wasn’t going to come rescue me, like I expected him to go full-on Liam Neeson in Taken. I’m not sure his particular set of skills would come in much use in that scenario anyway.
But since I know it’s on everyone’s mind, I thought I’d begin my series of blog posts by answering the big question:
Is it safe to travel to Israel?
Let me preface all this by saying one thing. Safety is such a relative term. It’s totally dependent on who you are. Situations that are safe and fine to some people may be utterly terrifying to another. The perception of safety is highly influenced by your upbringing, your culture, your experiences and more. You can’t apply one safety threshold to all people. It just doesn’t work that way.
The news and other media outlets tend to flood us with images and articles that shed the world in a very negative light. Sadly these few tragic moments make us believe that the world is full of danger and violence. In my experience, this is just not true. It’s just that nobody wants to watch a news program talking about average daily life in Israel (which is not much different than what you and I experience).
My husband mentioned that if the media began reporting on every car crash that happened in the United States, nobody would be driving anymore. The same principle applies to using the media to gain your information regarding safety in another country. You cannot gain an accurate viewpoint of the world by watching it on your television. The best thing you can do to really educate yourself is to go see and experience for yourself.
That being said, yes, I found it safe to travel to Israel.
But Trump is moving the US Embassy. Aren’t there riots everywhere?
In moving the United States Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, President Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. But to Israelis, Jerusalem has always been the capital. The problem lies with the Palestinians who also lay claim to the city of Jerusalem. By recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, the President showed his support for the Zionist side of the conflict, creating more tension with the Palestinians.
When I was visiting Israel, I walked past the US Embassy in Tel Aviv, and wouldn’t you know it…there was nobody in sight. No protests, riots, or anything to make you think that this was as big of a deal as the media wants it to be.
Yes, it ticked off some people. And yes, if you open your big American mouth about it you may get told off. But otherwise, life in Israel has moved on.
Signs posted in Jerusalem when VP Pence was there…
So the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict is still a thing?
Yeah. Yes it is. And I highly recommend you read as much about it as you can before visiting. This is one of those highly sensitive conflicts where both sides are right and wrong and the whole situation is just complicated. However, this doesn’t mean that there is constant violence occurring out in the open. Neither side of the conflict is filled with savages looking to destroy human lives. Still, it’s important to be delicate about the situation and not go expressing your outside opinions. The tensions are still alive and well, but I never saw or experienced anything related to it, that made me feel unsafe.
But The Gaza Strip and West Bank are no-nos, right?
From the conversations I had with locals, I was told that the Gaza Strip is a pretty rough place. I was told it was where most of the radicals lived, that their government was falling apart, and that it was probably not a place to visit right now. However, I traveled to and from the West Bank many times. In fact, usually, you couldn’t even tell when you had crossed into the West Bank. I was told that many Israelis and Palestinians live in the West Bank and that it’s relatively peaceful. As a tourist visiting tourist sites, I had no issues being in West Bank and perceived no danger while there.
Much of the Dead Sea is located in West Bank. Lots of tourists visit with no problems.
Aren’t there Terrorists everywhere in the Middle East?
Ya’ll need to turn off your TVs. For real.
You know what? Yeah, there are probably terrorists in Israel. But there are also probably terrorists in the United States and in Europe, and every other part of the world. Terrorists shouldn’t be what stops you from traveling. You’re not any safer at home. Crazies are everywhere.
But if it’s really that big of a concern for you, let me tell you this. The Israeli Army is legit. Every Israeli citizen is required to serve in some form of the military for at least 2 years when they turn 18. For this reason, you will see plenty of armed soldiers walking the streets in Israel. I don’t know about you, but I feel much better knowing that in the unlikely case that some terrorist act goes down, there are dozens of highly trained soldiers right around the corner at any given time.
Can you say the same for your home country?
So you’re saying you didn’t feel nervous at all?
That’s not true. I was nervous the first time we went through a checkpoint leaving the West Bank. That is until I realized I had nothing to hide and no reason to feel nervous. I was nervous about arriving in Jerusalem at 1:00 in the morning, and having to walk with all our stuff for 20 minutes to our hotel. Until we got there and I realized that it was the end of Shabbat and everyone was out enjoying themselves. The streets were well-lit and the night markets were hoppin’ with people.
But you also have to know that these feelings of nervousness happen wherever I go. I felt nervous walking around in Santa Ana, El Salvador on my own. I felt nervous when I got on a wrong tram in Ghent, Belgium. I felt nervous in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania when the homeless people would aggressively ask me for money. Heck, I even feel nervous at home when I have to walk to my car in a dark parking lot. Traveling in Israel didn’t make me feel any more safe or unsafe than I do anywhere else in the world.
I was nervous about eating Mediterranean food, but it turns out Israeli hummus is WAY better than US grocery store hummus!
My thoughts
I am so glad that I went to Israel. I am glad that media-inspired fears didn’t stop me from walking the streets of Old Jerusalem. They didn’t stop me from placing my hands in the Sea of Galilee. They didn’t hinder my ability to challenge myself, and they didn’t keep me from learning more about life in other parts of the world.
Exploring the grottoes of Rosh Hanikra was pretty cool
I, too, had my worries about being accepted as an American after the whole Trump dealio. Whenever people in Israel asked me where I was from, I would somewhat sheepishly answer “The US”. However, about halfway through the trip, I realized that the response from people was always the same- and it was very powerful.
“You are welcome here.”
Nowhere else have I felt that openly and that explicitly welcomed in another country. It was like each person took it upon themselves to validate my being in Israel.
I’m not saying that Israel is a completely, 100% guaranteed safe place. But in all honesty, I can’t say that about anywhere in the world. What I am saying is that the fears placed in your minds are because of media saturation and have no place in determining if it is safe to travel to Israel.
Do you really want to know if it’s safe to travel to Israel? Go there and see for yourself. Try signing up for a group tour if you need that little extra comfort of having a guide. Tourist Israel is a great company with a ton of different tour options. You can choose to take a few day tours until you get comfortable, or you can join a tour for the whole duration of your trip. It is also a great resource for all things Israel travel, and I highly recommend you take a look!
Check out the Judaean Desert while you’re there!
Are you ready to book a trip to Israel? Maybe you still have questions or concerns? Leave me a comment below!
Follow me on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on my adventures! Or check out my Instagram for pretty pictures!
37 Comments
So glad you had an amazing time! I’ve been five times and it’s my favorite place in the world. Every time I tell someone that, I have to go through a full explanation of safety and I find my conversations generally go through most of what you’ve said above. Way to spread the love about this special place!
Dang! Five times?! I’m jealous!
I really didn’t know a lot about Israel until I traveled through Africa and met an Israeli couple. They told us about their day to day life, and yes, they have a bomb shelter in their house, but other than that nothing shocked me. They’ve given me inspiration to visit Israel, and reading posts like this are just so reassuring too!
Thanks for writing such an honest post. It’s true that the media are painting a bleaker picture than it really is. I’m glad to hear that it is quite safe to travel around Israel.
Love this article and your encouragement for others to visit places for themselves and meet people instead of going by what is seen on tv! Thank you for that! Also, I am going to Israel in April for the first time and this article just made me all the more excited for it. 🙂
That’s awesome! April will be a great time of year to go! Stay tuned for more Israel articles, and let me know if you have questions!
I am a huge fan of Nas Daily and he was saying something similar to what you wrote here the other day. He said that most of the time what we see in television are the disasters, the terrible things that go on in the world while the nice stuff gets overlooked. And he shared a few of his videos where you can see the good in the world. That said, I do not know if you were in Israel with your husband but I am not sure I would feel safe in any Muslim country as a woman solo… It is not about the government situation, which is already quite something, but about the views that they may have about a western woman traveling solo. Anyway, I really loved reading your post! Thanks for sharing your experience!
I watch the Nas Daily videos too! He’s a great advocate for the real situation in Israel. I did travel with my husband, but in all honesty, I would have NO problem going back solo. Israel is predominately a Jewish country, but there are Muslims and Christians there too. A country’s religion shouldn’t stop you from traveling there.
A really interesting post. You’re right, safety is relative and we shouldn’t let the media scare us into not living our lives. At the same time though, it’s imperative we do our research and be careful so as not to be reckless! Great post.
Yes! Don’t go somewhere blindly. Just make sure your research is from reputable sources!
Great insightful article about a very important subject! I totally agree that safety is very relative and your perception of safety depends on so many factors. I believe the more you travel the safer you feel everywhere, because in the end we are all the same!
I completely agree with this! I tell people the same thing while traveling to East Africa. The news over-inflates negative things. Everywhere you go in the world people are mostly good. Just don’t make reckless choices and treat everyone with respect.
Agreed!
Oh, I would like to try that hummus! I have many friends, and even my mom went to Israel a couple of years ago. For some reason, it’s never appealed to me as a destination, I suppose because I’m not Christian or Jewish, so I don’t really get the historical significance of most places, but I’ve heard it’s amazing!
There’s a lot of really cool history that is not religious too! Plus there is a lot to see and experience other than the history 🙂
Love this article. Just listening to main stream media and worried family members can scare us of places that we don’t need to be scared of. After traveling, I’ve honestly started to feel more unsafe at home than any where I’ve traveled to. Getting in a car every day is dangerous yet so many of us still do that every single day. So I don’t want fear to stop me from traveling to beautiful places in the world. You really make me want to visit Israel and the Judaean Desert looks beautiful!
Thanks for sharing your experience! I’m always looking for advice from people who’ve actually traveled to the place to get a better idea about safety. You can drive yourself crazy and worrying for nothing most times, so it’s so helpful to get first hand info 🙂
Such an interesting article! Thank you for sharing it. I want to visit Israel soon, and safety is definitely one of the topics I’m concerned about. 🙂
I think it’s a big one for most people 😉
Such an informative post. Funny how the media likes to scare us 🙁 I studied Foreign Affairs and read a very interesting book titled, “The Isreal Lobby” by John J. Mearsheimer. Have you read it?
I have not read it! What’s it about?
It is hard for me to imagine how anyone could NOT want to go to Israel. I know everyone does not love history like I do, but the idea of being where there has been recorded history for millenia, is utterly intriguing! Like everyone else< I would worry about safety, but, so much of that is in your own actions and behaviors. You made your points very candidly and effectively. Thank you!
Great post! You are so right that safety is relative and its all about perspective. It was really helpful reading about your experience.
I think Western media really brainwashes people into believing a lot of the world is more dangerous than it is. Can you imagine if people stopped visiting the United States based on our horrific gun violence statistics? As with anywhere, you need to be aware of your surroundings, but it shouldn’t be a reason to not visit. Israel is a gorgeous country. Glad you got to enjoy it.
I want to go to Jerusalem and Israel and Im pretty sure when I go I will get lots of comments. I’m so glad that you went for your safe and based of what social media said. I can’t wait to take my own journey there
You are wise beyond your years! Our daughter lived in Palestine for a year, moving back and forth between that country and Israel. She had the time of her life … even though she was working for an NGO writing about water issues and dealing with soldiers. She never felt “unsafe” even in an environment we might otherwise perceive as threatening. It is your perspective. Bad things can happen driving, flying, walking, simply swimming at an otherwise safe beach. Love this post!
Good old common sense can lead a long way when traveling. That food looks amazing, I love Mediterranean cuisine!
Hello Brianna,
I just found your article – thanks for sharing all this important informations with us. I would love to visit this country one day – but I never really thought that I really could do it. Now i feel more safe and confortable with this idea!
Thanks a lot
Martina
Thanks for the encouragement to visit places that the media considers violent. I agree that you should do your research about the different political, religious and social viewpoints represented in the Israel and the Middle East. So glad that you enjoyed your visit to the historic country.
I agree with you that safety is a relative term and I know many people who travelled to Israel. I myself would like to go, too, but I do disagree with the politics of conquest and oppression, so…it’s difficult; and actually the signs you are posting on your Vice President’s visit are putting me off. So for me it’s not a question of safety, it’s a question of politics that holds me back. I guess Israel will do without me just fine.
I agree that listening to the media, you won’t go anywhere! We loved our time in Israel, and yes, it’s unfortunate that there are still troubles, but we are not trouble-free in our country.
Great post. It is so important to keep our fears in check as the news and many of the bad things that happen in the world is all about raising our fears and distrust of people and countries. Glad to hear you had a great time and thanks for sharing your experiences.
I’d love to see Israel one day! “Safety is such a relative term” — so true I wish more people understood this. And that pro-Trump sign though was a scary sight… how common is that in Israel?
The only time we saw those signs was when the Vice President was in town. I think they were making a big deal of him being there. Otherwise, you don’t see anything about it.
Fabulous perspective – thank you so much for sharing. We are looking to travel to Israel this summer as they are hosting the World Lacrosse Championships and our son is playing!
Just what I needed to read, in the exact moment. I’ve been traveling with my girlfriend for some months and we have witnessed how different is every country from the way media shows it.
We’ll go to Israel soon for the first time, I’m very excited.
Thanks for your very informative post and also the one about the dead sea, safe travels!
I LOVE this post. It’s so true – people should not believe everything they see in the media!! We found people in the middle east to be SUPER welcoming and we did not ever feel unsafe. I feel like I am as likely to experience an act of terrorism in the US or Europe as I am in the Middle East…