Anyone ever been to Israel?

[zubovskyblvd]

So, my girlfriend (who is quite the Zionist) has finally persuaded me to go to Israel next year, looks likely it will be Tel Aviv (she has friends who have committed Aliyah who live there). While I'm there I plan to go to the West Bank (fingers crossed a Palestinian state by then), apparently its relatively easy for tourists to get in and out. Anyone on here ever been to Israel/West Bank/Gaza before?

[RadioRaheem84]

How does Aliyah work?

How does one prove they're Jewish?

[zubovskyblvd]

How does Aliyah work?

How does one prove they're Jewish?

To be honest I have no idea, I'm not Jewish myself so a lot of these things are a bit of a mystery. I'll see if I can find out

[Triple A]

So, my girlfriend (who is quite the Zionist) has finally persuaded me to go to Israel next year, looks likely it will be Tel Aviv (she has friends who have committed Aliyah who live there). While I'm there I plan to go to the West Bank (fingers crossed a Palestinian state by then), apparently its relatively easy for tourists to get in and out. Anyone on here ever been to Israel/West Bank/Gaza before?

No matter how pro palestinian one might be but going to weast bank as a weasterner is not one of the to do things and ge out alive on my list.

[bricolage]

I went to Israel a few years ago to visit distant family members and stayed in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is of course fascinating and I loved the Bahai gardens in Haifa. For obvious reasons though it was a discomforting trip and not somewhere I have plans to go back to.

[RadioRaheem84]

I went to Israel a few years ago to visit distant family members and stayed in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is of course fascinating and I loved the Bahai gardens in Haifa. For obvious reasons though it was a discomforting trip and not somewhere I have plans to go back to.

discomforting because of the treatment of the Palestinians or because of other reasons, like not being Jewish?

[bricolage]

discomforting because of the treatment of the Palestinians or because of other reasons, like not being Jewish?
I am technically Jewish.
Discomforting because the wall is pointed out by guides on tourist buses and people take photos, to name one example...

[Hexen]

(who is quite the Zionist}

Why not just break up with her? It's like dating with a Nazi or Fascist which means trouble...

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

I've been and it was an uncomfortable, disconcerting and dangerous trip to say the least.

Not only is Jerusalem one of the most ethnically divided cities i've seen (it's literally divided neighbourhood by neighbourhood into 'arab' and 'israeli', and if you are in the 'wrong' neighbourhood, it's trouble), Tel Aviv is always on high alert and the treatment of arabs is openly appalling.

Having said that, politics aside it has its charms. The Bahai gardens were indeed lovely and if you ever get the chance to stay in the desert with the Druze Arabs, they are probably the most welcoming people you'll ever meet and it's a fantastic experience, if you don't mind roughing it in a tent in the desert. Staying on a Kibbutz was also a top experience, especially for a Socialist, though sadly almost none of the Kibbutzim are run as democratic socialist, communal entities these days.

I don't think a westerner should go to the West Bank, unless you're clearly marked as a journalist/UN, or you're clearly with some sort of humanitarian aid mission (though with the flotilla last year, we saw that even that is fraught with danger).

I also doubt that moving between Israel and the West Bank/Gaza is either:

a) allowed, OR
b) advised.

It's a war zone there, you've got a high chance of being blown up or shot by either side.

[genstrike]

I've been to Israel and the West Bank. I'm going to send the OP a PM.

[Nox]

Israel is a nice place. Tel Aviv is where all the Zionists are though. The bulk of the ultra-orthodox type are in the west bank/jerusalem ;)

[genstrike]

A few points:

1. It's not hard to get into Israel, if you can pass yourself off as an apolitical tourist

2. It's also not that hard for a white person who doesn't have Israeli citizenship to get into the West Bank. There's a bus depot just outside the Old City in East Jerusalem which serves some intercity routes the West Bank.

3. From what I hear, it's almost impossible to get into Gaza unless you have some job with the UN or something, and even then it can be tricky

4. If you're going for some length of time, try to get in touch with someone like the ISM, and do some on the ground solidarity

5. You WILL have to mentally prepare yourself. It really is apartheid. After a day in Hebron, I was fucked up for like a week.

6. Don't let stuff like fear stop you from visiting the West Bank. You may only have this opportunity once in a lifetime. Make sure you make the most of it, and don't let fear make you miss beautiful places like Nablus.

7. The political situation may change, especially given the lunacy of the Israeli state regarding the PA's bid for statehood at the UN so be aware of that.

8. Your girlfriend may be pissed.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

We were banned from going to Nablus, it was getting fucked up at the time :(

It was nuts, some of the places we went had been subject to rocket attacks just a week or so before, it really is a war zone. Unlike the above poster, I can't recommend you go to the West Bank or try to get involved politically unless that really is the main aim of your trip. If your aim is more to just see what's going on, then please err strongly on the side of caution. It's a military-led state and no less, the sort of 'shoot first, ask later' kind of place.

[genstrike]

Given the BDS campaign (which is pretty much a global picket line), and the fact that tourism is a very important industry in Israel, I just think it seems a little dickish to go over there, support the economy of the apartheid state of Israel, and not even make an effort to do any solidarity work.

[piet11111]

I would go and just try to learn and make photo's maybe write an article after.

Its good to actually see this for yourself and form an opinion on your own experiences instead of "avoiding unpleasantness" and you also have an opportunity to show your girlfriend what kind of state she supports by going off the beaten path and actually talk with some of the arabs if you get the chance.

[Dzerzhinsky's Ghost]

While I'm there I plan to go to the West Bank (fingers crossed a Palestinian state by then), apparently its relatively easy for tourists to get in and out. Anyone on here ever been to Israel/West Bank/Gaza before?

We've been fighting since the 40's, by the time you would arrive in Israel I highly doubt (as it stands) even with fingers crossed that the state of Palestine would even be recognized as legitimate let alone there be an end to the apartheid and peace. I have however been to Palestine (my emphasis).

[Spets]

Quick question, do Jewish vampires avoid crosses or Stars of David? :lol:

[Smyg]

Poor Jewish vampires, no blood drinking for them.

[Vladimir Innit Lenin]

Given the BDS campaign (which is pretty much a global picket line), and the fact that tourism is a very important industry in Israel, I just think it seems a little dickish to go over there, support the economy of the apartheid state of Israel, and not even make an effort to do any solidarity work.

I don't really appreciate that argument. I'm fairly sure you've probably supported the Israeli economy indirectly or directly at some point in your life, i'm sure we've all supported, indirectly or directly, some pretty bad causes in our lives, unintentionally.

[freepalestine]

I don't really appreciate that argument. I'm fairly sure you've probably supported the Israeli economy indirectly or directly at some point in your life, i'm sure we've all supported, indirectly or directly, some pretty bad causes in our lives, unintentionally.what like using a computer etetec

genstrike was right,boycotting isreal tourist industryetc(which in itself is heavily politicised) is a major part of the bds campaign.

[genstrike]

I don't really appreciate that argument. I'm fairly sure you've probably supported the Israeli economy indirectly or directly at some point in your life, i'm sure we've all supported, indirectly or directly, some pretty bad causes in our lives, unintentionally.

You may not appreciate my argument, but yours is completely lacking in logic.

[Hiero]

Will they let you into Israel if you have travelled to Pakistan? I know that certian citizens from nations that do not recgonise Israel aren't allowed in Israel and Israeli citizens are not allowed in some Middle Eastern countries. But would they grant me a visa if they see on my passport that I have been to Pakistan?

[Tomhet]

My great great grandfather was a Turkish officer in Ottoman Palestine, but I've never been there..