Language: Hebrew, Arabic
Currency: Shekel (ILS)
Calling code: 972
Israel (Hebrew: מדינת ישראל, Medinát Jisra'él) is a country in the
Middle East. It is located on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea
and borders Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the
east and Egypt to the southwest in the Sinai Peninsula area. The areas
of the West Bank (the English term "West Bank" is used internationally)
and the Gaza Strip in the south-west, which extend in the shape of a
mirrored B from the Jordan Valley to the west, belong to the Palestinian
Authority. In the extreme south, the country has a small entrance to the
Red Sea.
Founded in 1948, the small state is one of the most
controversial destinations and one where the most conflicting opinions
collide. Located in the Fertile Crescent of the Middle East, the region
has a history dating back to prehistoric times and has been the scene of
clashes between different powers and interests over the millennia from
ancient to modern times, which is reflected in the wealth of
archaeological sites, but also in a still smoldering conflict between
the neighboring states and Israel to this day.
An extreme
diversity and the most diverse facets presented to the observer from the
outside make up the state and its inhabitants. For the Jewish people,
the nation state founded in 1948 is a home in which they can live their
language and culture protected from persecution for the first time in
centuries. For many residents of the surrounding states it is a
stumbling block, a state that is still denied its right to exist by
certain circles becomes. In contrast to propaganda exploited statements
by extreme exponents of the different sides, in Israel people live in a
form of coexistence that allows the conflict to recede into the
background in everyday life.
One facet is the enormous importance
of religions by European standards: Jews, Muslims and Christians have
their holy places in Israel, and here especially in the historical focal
point in Jerusalem, and visiting them is often a reason for a trip to
Israel. Conflicts over this have more than once triggered armed
conflicts in the past. The fact that at almost the same time orthodox
Jews rushed to the synagogues in their typical costume to pray, the call
of the muezzin mixed with the ringing of church bells, which is familiar
to Central Europeans, is a typical sign of coexistence in Israel.
Another facet is the diversity of the country's inhabitants, their
appearance and customs. Not only the ultra-orthodox Jews with black
coats, fur hats and side curls, familiar from the illustrations, are
part of the street scene, but also the IT specialists working in
high-tech forges in Israel's "Silicon Valley", Israeli Arabs with a
Muslim or Christian background in their shops and restaurants , Druze in
northern Israel and in the Golan, Bedouins traveling with camels or in
off-roaders in the Negev... - due to the immigration of Jews from
Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, the streetscape often does not
differ much from what Central Europeans are used to is. Another facet
are the geographical differences from the Mediterranean coast with
bathing beaches, the wooded hills of the Shefela and the Israeli north,
enormous agricultural areas criss-crossed by highways and the desert
areas in the south of the country. From the beaches on the Red Sea,
where you can snorkel in winter, to the ski area on Mount Hermon you
only need a few hours by car, from the date palm plantations on the Dead
Sea to the cool hills around Jerusalem just a good hour. The cultural
treasures are just as different as the landscapes, the animal and plant
world in the nature reserves, which make up a large part of the
uninhabited country. In archaeological sites, evidence of prehistoric
cultures can be seen; Canaanites, Israelites, Hellenistic Greeks,
Romans, Byzantines, various Muslim ruling dynasties, Christian
crusaders, Ottoman sultans and finally the British Mandate power all
left their monuments in the country; the cultural diversity with visual
artists, writers and a wide variety of musical styles is also almost
overwhelming for the visitor at first glance.
As a focal point
between the most diverse people, cultures and nationalities, Israel is
often in the media's interest; An often contradictory picture of the
country is drawn in the press and in the media, based on different
points of view and different perceptions. For travelers visiting Israel
for the first time, it may therefore be surprising and reassuring that
in this country there is also normal everyday life with traffic jams and
work, cafe-going, beach life and party scene, beyond conflict and
orthodoxy. Exactly this colorful variety, the often observed
contradiction in itself, make the country an interesting travel
destination for the unprejudiced.
For travelers from
German-speaking countries, the reason for a visit to Israel is often a
pilgrimage in the broadest sense, with the focus on visiting Christian
sites. However, the loaded program of an organized round trip is only
able to show a small part of the variety of sights and cultural assets
that the country actually has to offer. A week through Israel is a
suggestion for a round trip in which one can get an impression of the
diversity of this country in a short time frame.
Israel, which is small in terms of area - it is about the size of Hesse - is also a country of contrasts in terms of its geography, its regions are diverse and varied in terms of landscape: on its small area you can find both mountainous landscapes and larger, intensively used agricultural plains, some Areas are relatively green all year round, with much of the country in the south being an inhospitable-looking desert area. In winter you can go swimming on the Israeli coast of the Red Sea, while at the same time winter sports are practiced on the ski slopes of Mount Hermon in the north of the Golan Heights. With the Sea of Galilee, Israel has a large freshwater lake, it has access to the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea and borders the Dead Sea. Rural and sparsely populated areas contrast with the vibrant metropolitan areas of Tel Aviv (the so-called “Gush Dan”) and Jerusalem.
Western Galilee includes the coastal strip along the Mediterranean
Sea from the Lebanese border through the ancient Crusader city of Acre
to Haifa.
Mount Carmel is a mountain range south/east of Haifa that
stretches along the Mediterranean coast.
Upper Galilee extends from
Dan at the foot of Mount Hermon to the Bet HaKerem valley in the south
and from the Western Galilee in the west to the Golan and the Sea of
Galilee in the east; here are the highest elevations of the Israeli
heartland and Safed, the city of Jewish mysticism.
Lower Galilee with
the important Christian pilgrimage destination of Nazareth is a hilly
landscape between the Upper Galilee in the north and the Jezreel plain
in the south; to the east the region touches the areas of the Sea of
Galilee and around Bet She'an.
The Sea of Galilee is the country's
most famous and largest freshwater lake; on its banks are well-known
Christian pilgrimage sites and the Jewish city of Tiberias.
The
Jezreel Plain is associated with the end-time battle of the Biblical
apocalypse of Armageddon; the wide, rural valley inland east of the
Carmel Mountains covers the area from Haifa to the Jordan Valley at
Beth-She'an.
The Bet She'an valley extends around the city of the
same name with its important excavations; the valley is the heart of the
Jordan Valley south of the Sea of Galilee.
The Golan Heights are a
range of hills and a plateau in the extreme northeast of the country.
Mount Hermon in the very north rises to over 2000m at the border
triangle. Israel conquered the area in the Six-Day War and annexed it in
1981 (the annexation of the Golan Heights, which belong to Syria under
international law, was accepted by most states, including the
surrounding Arab states and also not recognized by the EU, in contrast
to the recognition by the USA in 2019; the Golan Heights can be traveled
without any problems without border controls, problems can arise at the
immediate border with Syria, a buffer zone is monitored by the UNDOF
peacekeeping forces of the UN).
The Sharon Plain is the agriculturally intensively used stretch of
coast between the Carmel Mountains in the north, the mountains of
Samaria (West Bank) in the east and the region around Tel Aviv in the
south.
Gush Dan is the country's largest metropolitan area around the
city of Tel Aviv.
Jerusalem and its incorporated districts is the
official capital of Israel and the country's main tourist destination.
Jerusalem is connected to the Israeli heartland by a relatively narrow
corridor with the main transport routes, and it is surrounded by the
Palestinian Authority to the north and south. The Arab-populated East
Jerusalem was annexed by Israel in 1980, which is not recognized by the
international community; until the Six Day War it was occupied by
Jordan.
The southern coastal plain with the cities of Ashdod and
Ashkelon stretches from Tel Aviv to the Gaza Strip (Palestinian
Autonomous Region).
Shefela is the name for the fertile, hilly
hinterland between the southern coastal plain and the highlands of Judea
(in the West Bank).
The Negev is the desert area that from Be'er Sheva covers practically
the entire southern half of Israel down to the Red Sea.
On the
Israeli coastal sections, the country has access to the Dead Sea at En
Bokek and En Gedi (which is also undisputed under international law);
Geographically, the northern region with the mountain fortress of Masada
belongs to the Judean Desert (West Bank).
Just like the country, the cities in Israel are characterized by an
often contrasting variety. Historically, cities and towns have often
been inhabited by a relatively homogeneous population of just one
population group. The Bible speaks of the cities of the Israelites, the
Philistines and the Samaritans. At the turn of the century, the Romans
lived in Caesarea, and the Jewish population in Jerusalem hardly ever
set foot in a Roman city; under Muslim rule in the Ottoman Empire, the
Jews' freedom of settlement was restricted to individual cities, where
Jewish culture then flourished. In the cities, different living quarters
of the different population groups have survived until modern times,
villages and settlements still often have a uniform character; a
practiced visitor can soon distinguish a kibbutz with orthodox Jewish
residents from a liberal agricultural settlement, a village of Arab
Israelis or Druze.
Due to religious customs and political
exclusion, individual population groups in "their cities" often kept to
themselves and lived side by side until modern times; which may seem
strange to the Central European visitor who is used to nation states
with fixed borders and a mixed population in the cities.
Jerusalem
is one of the most important travel destinations in Israel for many
tourists, especially because of its status as a "holy city" and because
of the countless sights. Officially, Jerusalem is the capital of Israel,
the Knesset meets here, the Israeli parliament and West Jerusalem is the
seat of many national institutions. However, Jerusalem is only
recognized as the capital of the USA and Honduras; Due to the annexation
of East Jerusalem in 1980, Jerusalem is not recognized as the capital by
most of the world community and the UN. The Palestinians, on the other
hand, are demanding recognition of East Jerusalem, or undivided
Jerusalem, as the capital of their independent state - and the visitor
quickly realizes the explosive nature of this situation.
The city
consists of Jewish West Jerusalem, Arabic-Muslim East Jerusalem and in
between the Old City, which was taken by Jordan in the War of
Independence and recaptured by the Israelis in the Six Day War. With the
four old town districts, each of which forms its own microcosm with a
different population and in which the holy sites of Judaism (Western
Wall on the Temple Mount), Christians (Church of the Holy Sepulchre) and
Muslims (Dome of the Rock, Al Aksa Mosque) are located in a very small
area , the Old City of Jerusalem is a destination for a wide variety of
pilgrim and visitor groups.
Tel Aviv: Israel's most important
metropolitan area, the densely populated area around the secular city of
Tel Aviv-Yafo, the so-called "Gush Dan", has a completely different
character. Tel Aviv itself is the city of social life, party life,
business and most of the embassies are also located here. Vibrant Tel
Aviv is known as the “city that never sleeps”, and Ben Gurion Airport,
as the most important international airport, is the gateway to Israel
for many visitors.
Founded in 1909 as the first Jewish city, Tel Aviv
is known for its Art Nouveau buildings, ancient sites and biblical
pilgrimage destinations. Jaffa, which was united with Tel Aviv in 1950,
offers much more historical background. Founded at the beginning of the
20th century on the pristine beach north of Yaffa (Yafo), today Jaffa,
with its historic port and buildings from the Ottoman and Mandate
periods, feels like an old city quarter in the south of Tel Aviv.
The port and industrial city of Haifa is the most important city in
the north due to its size and economic importance. The most important
sight of the city are the geometrically designed gardens of the Baha'i,
the holy site of another world religion stretches up the eastern slope
to the Carmel massif. With its large commercial port and university,
Haifa has retained the character of a pragmatic working-class city in
which religion plays a comparatively minor role.
Even as a
tourist, the differences between the country's three largest cities will
not go unnoticed. It is probably no coincidence that an often-quoted
saying characterizes the three cities as follows: "Prayers in Jerusalem,
work in Haifa, lives in Tel Aviv".
Many other cities also have
their own character due to their history and development.
Acre or Akko
on the northern Mediterranean coast has retained its oriental character
with its massive Crusader-era walls, mosques and Arabic market.
The
town of Nahariya, a few kilometers south of the Lebanese border, is a
popular seaside resort on the northern Mediterranean coast.
As the
birthplace of Jesus, Nazareth is another popular pilgrimage destination
for Christian tour groups and has a Muslim and Christian-Arab
population.
In Galilee,
Tiberias with its rabbi tombs and
the promenade on the Sea of Galilee and in the north on a hilltop city
of Safed (Hebrew: Zefat) as a city of Jewish (Kabbalah) mysticism and
art and galleries are cities with a centuries-old Jewish tradition.
Netanya, one of the most famous seaside resorts on Israel's
Mediterranean coast, is just north of Tel Aviv.
In the center of the
country, in the Gush Dan, lies Bnei-Brak, which despite its proximity to
Tel Aviv is an orthodox-Jewish city. The orthodox Jews, who make up the
majority of the residents, have little sympathy for the way of life of
secular Israelis or curious tourists.
Since the south of Israel
consists mainly of desert areas, the population there is sparse.
Be'er Sheva in the north of the Negev desert has developed from an
Ottoman provincial town on the railway line to Sinai into a city with
over 200,000 inhabitants, close by are the largest Bedouin settlements
of Israel.
Eilat at the southernmost tip of the country with its port
on the Red Sea is now the city of seaside tourism and, thanks to its
status as a duty-free zone, is increasingly being visited by tourists
from liberal Arab countries and Eastern Europeans on shopping trips. Due
to the extreme desert location, there are hardly any rainy days in
Eilat, while at the same time swimming in the sea is possible all year
round.
large number of sights also attract visitors outside of the
cities, depending on the focus and interests, the selection of
destinations varies, but there is still much, much to see for all
visitors. For nature lovers, Israel offers many nature parks: bizarre
desert landscapes with oases that are visited by wild animals to drink
at night or protected areas in the Upper Galilee and on the edge of the
Golan Heights with Mediterranean and sometimes rare endemic plants.
History buffs will find an enormous number of archaeological sites in
the country; Because of changing histories and being at the crossroads
of various trade routes and at the focal point between different
cultures, we have left their mark on so many ancient cultures that it is
sometimes difficult to distinguish between prehistoric, Canaanite,
Israelite, Hellenistic - Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Mediterranean - to
distinguish between medieval settlement traces and fortress walls.
Buildings from the times of the Umayyads, Abbasids, Fatimids, and the
Ottomans come from the Muslim-Arab period, and German engineers they
called in. Architects from the Franciscans, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch
and the British mandate government characterize the picture.
Some
Israelis are convinced (with a wink) that if you dig a hole somewhere in
Israel, you will find traces of a Roman temple... - this is true, as
archaeological traces are unearthed during the excavation of any road or
tram project .
Finally, Christians frequently visit the country
for the multitude of sites associated with the biblical accounts of
Jesus' ministry. Little is likely to be authentic, much is the object of
centuries of veneration and at some sights the greed for relics and
visits to sites of biblical events may have been exploited by
enterprising local residents for almost 2000 years - where traces of
fourth-century pilgrims were found park today still the coaches of
Christian and Jewish groups of pilgrims.
Christian sites, these
are mainly located around the Sea of Galilee and in Jerusalem
The
"Transfiguration of Jesus" is said to have taken place on Mount Tabor;
the quite high semi-circular mountain lies east of Afula and offers a
great view over the Jezreel plain.
The Mount of
Beatitudes is considered the site of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
Capernaum
on the Sea of Galilee is mentioned several times in the Bible; the ruins
of a house believed to be the house of Peter has been visited for
centuries.
Tabgha , also on the Sea
of Galilee, is believed to be the place where the feeding of the five
thousand reported in the Bible took place
Yardenit Baptismal Site.
Christians are baptized in the Jordan at the baptismal site of Jardenit
at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. The baptismal site of Qasr
el-Jahud near Jericho, which probably comes much closer to the site of
the work of John the Baptist, is now accessible again.
National
and nature parks have been placed under protection, the Israeli national
and nature parks are maintained by the National Parks Authority and can
usually be visited for an entrance fee. The Israel Pass is worthwhile
for tourists, with which all parks can be visited within two weeks. The
Israel Pass & Ride variant includes a credit card for buses in the form
of a Rav Nav.
The most important historical sites and excavations
Avdat was an important Nabatean city; the excavations are south of Be'er
Sheva.
Belvoir Castle
is a former Crusader castle whose ruins lie between Bet She'an and
Tiberias on the slopes above the Jordan.
Bet She'arim was an
important Jewish necropolis near Kiryat Tiv'on on the edge of the
Jezreel plain; Parts of the catacombs can be visited today.
In Bet
She'an is one of the most important archaeological sites with relics
from Roman and Byzantine times (including the remains of the main
streets and the amphitheater).
Caesarea,
with its Roman, Byzantine and Crusader relics, was the seat of Roman
governors in ancient times.
Hamat Gader is located southeast of the
Sea of Galilee right on the Jordanian border; the place was already
known in ancient times for its thermal springs.
Masada,
the fortified rocky plateau within sight of the Dead Sea, is considered
the site of the legendary battle of Jewish rebels against a great Roman
superiority, which ended in the collective suicide of the besieged
rebels.
Megiddo is an
archaeological site in the western Jezreel plain, which is mainly
characterized by an ingenious water supply system from the 9th century
BC. Chr. with a more than 100 meter long tunnel.
The city of Aphek or Afek is located 15 km from Tel Aviv on a road 483. Its name is derived from a Hebrew word for "springs" as it was the main strategic feature of the town.
Appolonia Ruins of ancient Apollonia in Israel are situated on a beaches of the sea.
Ashkelon contains ruins from the Bronze Age to medieval Crusader fortifications.
Beit Alpha Synagogue hold some of the best preserved mosaics in the Middle East.
Ruins of ancient Scythopolis at Beth Shean in Israel will take a whole day to explore.
Bethlehem in Israel harbors Rachel's tomb and claims as a birth town of Jesus Christ.
Ein Avdat National Park is an oasis of protected wild life in a vast Israeli desert.
Ein Gedi National Park is an oasis to the West of the Dead Sea in close proximity to Masada plateau and Qumran caves.
Ancient ruins of Eleutheropolis are situated not far from the Jerusalem.
Christian Orthodox monastery at Ein Fara is merely a small portion of a huge monastic community that once existed here.
Ein Karem was found during the Bronze Era, but it is particularly famous as a birth place of John the Baptist.
Gorny Monastery is a Russian Orthodox Monastery in Ein Karem, 7 km to the South West of Jerusalem.
Herodium is and ancient castle built by Herod the Great and his final resting place.
Jericho is probably the oldest site that was continually inhabitant by humans.
Jezreel Valley is a large valley in the south region of the Lower Galilee in Israel.
Mar Saba Monastery is one of the earliest Christian monasteries in the World. It is located 17 km (11 mi) East of Bethlehem in Israel.
Abandoned underground city of Maresha is probably more impressive than what is left above ground.
Nebi Musa according to the Muslim tradition is the resting place of Moses who died on the border of the Holy Land.
Massive medieval Nimrod Fortress holds strategic location on top of the mountain.
Qumran is a home to an ancient Jewish groups that latter influences monastic movement in Europe.
Hippos/Sussita is an ancient archaeological site in Israel situated on the bank of Sea of Galilee.
Judaean Desert stretches from Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. Despite its barren appearance it has one of the most historic buildings it the Holy Land.
The area of the modern State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority is one of the longest inhabited areas of the world. A prominent feature of the region's history is its geographic location on the eastern Mediterranean coast; the region was criss-crossed by ancient trade routes and over the centuries was always fought over in the sphere of domination and influence of powers in the north, south and north-east. This is reflected in the controversy, which is still being fought with vehemence today, just about the name: "Eretz Israel" is what the Jewish inhabitants refer to as "Eretz Israel", based on the Greek transcription of the "land of the Philistines". "Syria palaestina" coined after the crushing of the last Jewish uprising by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. With the "Damnatio memoriae" the Romans tried to erase the transmitted name of the province of Judea by erasing the memory. In modern times, the term "Palestine" was reintroduced among the Zionists around Th. Herzl in the 19th century and became more widespread with the naming of the British Mandate of Cisjordan. Ever since the founding of the state, the Jewish population has preferred the designation "Israel"; the Muslim and Christian Arab population prefers the term "Palestine", the term partly referring to the Palestinian Authority-administered areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but often implicitly encompassing the entire region.
Archaeological finds in the Nachal Me'arot in the Carmel range date
back to the Palaeolithic; Traces of Neanderthals and the early Homo
sapiens were found on the migration route between Africa and Europe,
which experts date to before 100,000 BC. can backdate.
Various
fortified cities and city-states (e.g. Megiddo and Hazor) already
existed in the Bronze Age (from 3000 BC), the region was influenced at
this time by the advanced civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotamia. After
2000 BC the Israelites also appear; the stories of the patriarchs of
Israel - Abraham, Isaac and Jacob - known from the Bible refer to this
time. Although the historical accuracy of the biblical accounts is
questioned, an inscription on the 1208 B.C. Merenptah stele from the
presence of the Israelites in the region. In the period around 1000 B.C.
the Israelites fight against the Philistines living in the coastal
plain. The establishment of the kingdom with kings Saul, David and
Solomon also falls into this period; according to the biblical account,
the latter built around 950 BC. the first temple in Jerusalem. After
Solomon's death, the kingdom split into a northern kingdom (Israel) and
a southern kingdom (Judah). The northern kingdom is conquered by the
Assyrians before 700, the southern kingdom comes to an end with the
conquest by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II, who died in 586 BC.
BC conquered Jerusalem and had the temple destroyed.
After the
conquest of Babylon by the Persian king Cyrus II in 539 BC. Jews who
were abducted to Babylon can return, the temple in Jerusalem is rebuilt.
Alexander the Great conquers the region around 330 BC. Subsequently, his
successors, the Diadochi - rulers of the Seleucids ruling in Syria and
the Ptolemies ruling in Egypt - disputed the rulership of the region.
Antiochus IV in particular gets into a massive conflict with the
believing Jews through his efforts to Hellenize the country and suppress
Judaism, so that in 166 B.C. finally comes to the Maccabee rebellion. As
a result of the uprising, anti-Jewish laws are repealed and temple
service becomes possible again. In the following years, the rebels were
able to assert themselves to a large extent, and a largely independent
state came into being under the Hasmoneans. The Hasmonean state came to
an end with the conquest by the Roman general Pompeius in 63 BC.
From this time until the 7th century AD the country was under Roman and
Byzantine rule. The Romans used local procurators, but also relied on
native rulers: Herod the Great and his successors held considerable
power in the country as kings for several decades. During Herod's tenure
(37-4 BC) there was a lot of building activity: Herod had the temple in
Jerusalem renovated (today's Western or Wailing Wall dates from this
period), built fortresses in Masada and Herodion, among others, Palaces
build and erect the port and provincial administrative city known in
honor of the Roman Emperor Caesarea. During the period of Roman rule
there were also considerable tensions, which erupted in two major
uprisings. The great Jewish uprising triggered by the plundering of the
temple treasury was put down around 70 AD, and the temple in Jerusalem
was destroyed by the Romans. Insurgents can hold out for a few more
years in the rock fortress of Masada, but eventually they are defeated.
The second great rebellion, the so-called "Bar Kochba rebellion",
ignited in 132 when the Roman Emperor Hadrian forbade circumcision to
the Jews. The Romans put down the rebellion surrounding Bar Kochba and
his followers, and there were executions. The Romans build the new city
of Aelia Capitolina on the ruins of the completely destroyed Jerusalem.
Jews are no longer allowed to live there.
With the rise of
Christianity, Palestine regained considerable importance. After
Christianity became more influential after the "Constantinian
Revolution" in 313 and finally became the Roman state religion,
Christians became increasingly interested in the "holy land". Churches
and chapels are therefore erected in many biblical places; According to
tradition, Constantine's mother Helena traveled to the country herself,
visited holy places and had buildings erected there.
After the Arabs defeated the Byzantine army in 636, Christian rule in
the country came to an end. The Arabs tolerated the Christians and Jews,
around 700 they built the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount in
Jerusalem. Around 1000 there are clashes; non-Muslim residents of
Palestine are persecuted, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, destroyed.
Raids on pilgrims in the 11th century are the trigger for the Crusades.
From the end of the 11th century, Christians set out in Europe to
protect the holy sites during the Crusades. In 1099 they conquered
Jerusalem and massacred the population. The Crusaders establish the
"Kingdom of Jerusalem". However, Jerusalem falls back to the Arabs in
1197, Akko becomes the new capital of the empire. In the second half of
the 13th century, Baibars largely conquered the crusader state, and in
1291 Akko, the last retreat of the crusaders, was taken.
The
Crusaders were followed by the rule of the Mamluks until the beginning
of the 16th century. Then Palestine falls to the Ottoman Empire, to
which it belongs until 1918. At first there was an upswing in Palestine,
among other things in the 16th century. The city walls of Jerusalem were
renewed under Sultan Süleyman. After that, however, the country largely
stagnated as part of the Ottoman province of Damascus. From the 19th
century onwards, stronger development impulses resulted from the
settlement of the German Templars (e.g. in Haifa) and the increasing
immigration of Jews, who were often guided by the idea of Zionism. In
1878 the first Jewish rural settlement was founded in Petach Tikva. In
1909 Tel Aviv was founded as a purely Jewish city; the founding of the
first kibbutz also falls at this time.
After the defeat of the
Ottomans by the British Expeditionary Force in World War I, Palestine
was placed under British mandate administration as the Cis- and
Transjordan mandate. Britain is commissioned by the League of Nations to
implement the Balfour Declaration's commitment to create a home for the
Jewish people. Tensions and violent clashes between Jews and Arabs have
increased over the years, at least in part due to continued Jewish
immigration. The British gave way in the face of Arab uprisings under
the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem al-Husseini, who was in contact with Adolf
Hitler, and therefore made immigration more difficult for Jews from
1939, despite Nazi persecution. Despite the British blockade, many Jews
immigrated to Palestine illegally as part of the Aliyah Bet from 1934
until the declaration of independence. In 1947, the UN General Assembly
decided to divide the disputed territory and create a Jewish and an Arab
state. However, this proposal was rejected by the Arab side, so that war
broke out after the British retreated.
With the end of the British mandate on May 14, 1948, Ben-Gurion
proclaimed the independent state of Israel. Immediately after the
proclamation, the four neighboring states, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, begin
a war with the aim of destroying the newly formed Jewish state. The
first Palestine War or Israeli War of Independence lasted until the
beginning of 1949. Contrary to the balance of power, the Israeli armed
forces managed to keep the enemy armies in check and even to make
territorial gains in areas previously populated predominantly by Arabs
(especially in Galilee), so that Israel end of the war controlled a much
larger area than was envisaged in the UN partition plan. Many Arab
Palestinians are fleeing in hopes of returning soon after the Jewish
state is destroyed, or are being expelled from areas of stubborn
resistance. Some of their descendants still live in refugee camps in the
Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon and other Arab states; only in Jordan do
they receive citizenship. Some of the Arab leaders decide to cooperate
with the Israeli forces, these people are now living in the country as
Arab Israelis with Israeli citizenship.
More wars erupted in the
decades that followed, as the Arab states continued to refuse to
recognize Israel's right to exist. The Six-Day War of 1967 against the
armed forces of Egypt, Jordan and Syria was particularly decisive for
later developments: In this war, Israel gained control over the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip, which had previously been occupied by Jordan.
In the final phase of this war, the Golan Heights east of the Sea of
Galilee are also conquered. The annexation of these strategically
important areas in 1981 is an obstacle to a possible future peace
agreement with Syria.
Only long after the Six-Day War was Israel
able to conclude peace treaties with Egypt and later with Jordan after
the Camp David Accords; Other surrounding Arab states reacted with
incomprehension to these normalization steps.
In recent decades
there have been repeated attempts to reach a comprehensive peace
agreement with the Palestinians. Whether at the end there should be two
independent states west of the Jordan for the two ethnic groups with an
independent state of Palestine (so-called two-state solution or a common
state with a federal solution (similar to Belgium, for example,
so-called one-state solution) is still the subject of discussions.
However, all previous initiatives have failed - for example, because
the tactics of both sides prevented a final agreement, because more
attacks were carried out against Jewish people or institutions, or the
Israeli parliament approved the construction of new settlement units in
the occupied territories, which the Palestinians viewed as a provocation
is felt.
Disagreements between the Palestinian Authority in the
West Bank, which recognized Israel's right to exist under Y. Arafat in
1993, and the leadership of the radical Islamic Hamas, which controls
the Gaza Strip and continues to deny Israel's right to exist, contribute
to the destabilization. In 1995, in response to frequent assassinations,
Israel began building a nearly 800-km-long West Bank separation barrier,
part security fence and part high concrete wall. The fact that
Palestinian residents can only pass through this barrier at checkpoints
to visit other parts of the West Bank or to reach their jobs in the
Israeli heartland further fuels the conflict. After the Israeli armed
forces withdrew from the Gaza Strip as an occupying power in 2005, Hamas
from the Gaza Strip carried out repeated attacks with rockets and fire
kites on the surrounding Israeli towns, which Israel in turn repeatedly
used as an opportunity for harsh military action.
To this day, the disputes over the Jewish state of Israel are of
considerable importance for politics and life in the entire region as
well as in Israel itself. First of all, this affects the relationship
with the neighbors: Although Israel has signed peace treaties with Egypt
and Jordan, the relationships are stayed rather cool. Many Arabs still
see the country as a foreign body in the Arab states of the Middle East
and criticize Israel for its role as the occupier of Palestinian land.
This cool climate has worsened since 2011 with the so-called "Arab
Spring" - the previous governments in neighboring countries such as
Egypt were not democracies, but from an Israeli perspective they were at
least reliable and stable.
Relations with Muslim and Christian
Arabs within the recognized Israeli state borders are also burdened by
historical burdens: Arabs with Israeli citizenship feel disadvantaged in
many areas. There is mutual distrust and tension between Jews and Arabs,
but also promising examples of problem-free coexistence and cooperation,
for example, many Arab employees work in the Israeli hotel industry and
on the Jewish holidays the work team consists almost exclusively of Arab
Israelis. The question of the place of the Israeli Arabs in a state that
sees itself as a Jewish state has not yet been conclusively clarified.
When you enter the country, you get a three-month tourist visa (B-2
visa), which is no longer stamped in your passport, but is inserted into
the passport as a kind of insert sheet with a picture, and with
duty-free shopping, with tax-free payment must be presented to the
accommodation as a tourist and upon departure; when you leave the
country, you will receive a similarly designed exit confirmation. A
fee-based extension of the period of stay can be applied for in Israel.
The Population & Immigration Authority field offices (short code ☎ 3450)
are normally open Sun-Thurs. 8.00-12.00.
There are special visa
requirements for German citizens who were born before January 1, 1928.
You have to apply for a visa in advance, which the Israeli embassy
issues free of charge and for the period of validity of the passport,
provided that the applicant has not been proven to be deeply involved in
National Socialism. With the “right of return”, Jews automatically have
Israeli citizenship and the right to permanent residence, but may have
to prove this with appropriate documents. The Israeli Ministry of
Foreign Affairs provides an overview of other types of visas on its
website.
The Israeli government automatically considers all
foreign-born children of Israelis as its citizens. They must enter with
an Israeli passport and are subject to conscription.
Detailed
visa information can be found on the website of the relevant Israeli
embassy (Berlin, Vienna (tel. information Mon.-Fri. 12.30-4.30 p.m.: ☎
01 476 46-587) and Bern (tel. information Mon.-Fri. 12.00-14.00 : ☎ 031
356 35 87).
Germans and Austrians aged 18-30 can apply for a
working holiday visa. During the one-year stay, you can work for a
maximum of three months per employer. Anyone who feels betrayed by the
boss can get help from the Kav LaOved Worker's Hotline (☎ +972 3 688
376). Regarding volunteering etc. below are links to kibbutz etc. For
this one needs the “Volunteer Visa” which can be applied for at the
relevant department of the Ministry of the Interior.
An Israeli
stamp in the passport means that certain countries (especially the Arab
countries, e.g. Syria, Lebanon and Iran) will refuse entry, even if a
visa has been issued for these countries. On the website of the Federal
Foreign Office and the foreign ministries, the travel advice for the
individual countries usually indicates if an Israeli stamp leads or can
lead to problems. If you are planning a trip to an Arab country after
visiting Israel, you should definitely check in detail whether entry is
possible there with an Israeli stamp. Since 2014, the passport is no
longer stamped without asking, but an entry visa with a passport photo
is inserted.
German citizens can apply for a second passport if,
after visiting Israel, they want to visit other countries in the Middle
East that would refuse entry with an Israeli stamp. Whether you receive
the document is at the "dutiful discretion" of the local registration
office.
Conversely, stamps from Arab countries or an
“Arabic-sounding” family name in the passport mean that the controls and
interviews before departure for Israel are more stringent. The
government of the Federal Republic of Germany allows employees of the
Israeli state security organs to carry out appropriate interrogations on
German soil before departure. Therefore, you should be at the airport
for significantly more than 4 hours than usual.
If you have
acquaintances with Arabic-sounding names in Israel or especially in a
place in the West Bank with whom you would like to live, you will be
subjected to security interviews upon entry, which can lead to delays of
several hours.
The importation of pornography and fresh meat is prohibited.
Vegetables, plants, seeds, etc. are subject to restrictions that must be
clarified in advance. Firearms require a permit, and (smaller) knives
that are not everyday items for sports or cooking are also viewed with
suspicion.
Dogs, cats and birds require a health certificate,
which will usually be in the form of the EU pet passport. All dogs older
than three months must be vaccinated against rabies, younger ones are
not allowed into the country. Planned entry must be notified to Ramla
Quarantine Station by fax (+972-8-9229906) at least 48 hours prior to
arrival. Please state the animal species, name of the owner, flight
number and expected arrival time.
Allowances (from 18)
1 liter
of liquor or 2 liters of wine
250 grams of tobacco products or 200
cigarettes
250ml perfume
Gifts for a maximum of US$ 200
Exit
When leaving the country by land, an exit fee must be paid. When
crossing the border at the Allenby Bridge, each person older than two
years has to pay ₪ 177 (as of 2019). Other border crossings are a bit
cheaper (fees overview as of January 1st, 2019). The fee can also be
paid in euros or dollars or in advance at the Postbank.
When
traveling by air, the fee is automatically included in the ticket price.
Airplane is the mode of transport most commonly chosen to travel to
Israel. This is not least due to the fact that Israel can only be
reached by road with difficulty and not at all by rail.
Israel
has only one major international airport: Ben Gurion Airport (IATA: TLV)
near Tel Aviv Airport (Sde-Dov) (IATA: SDV), which is described in a
separate article (currently closed). It is by far the country's most
important airport in terms of international traffic, it is located in
the center of the country and is also served by many international
airlines. It is also very well connected to the road network and can
also be easily reached by public transport.
Since April 2019,
there is only Ramon Airport Eilat (IATA: ETM) for visiting the south of
the country on the Red Sea, which is also frequented by European
low-cost airlines and charter flights; the old city airport of Eilat and
that of Ovda are no longer served.
The main Israeli airlines are
the national, now privatized El Al, its subsidiary and charter airline
Sun d'Or, and the cheaper private companies Arkia Airlines and Israir.
Most of the world's major airlines fly to Israel from a variety of
airports. Due to the political situation, it is currently not possible
to fly directly to Israel from Arab countries.
When flying to
Israel, you have to reckon with increased security precautions. El Al
flights in particular are often specially secured; At Munich Airport,
for example, they are processed at a separate security terminal with a
large police presence. You should be at the airport three hours before
your flight as you will be subjected to a pre-departure security
interview and your luggage may be searched thoroughly. As part of the
survey, questions about the reason for the trip, but e.g. B. also
according to whether you packed your suitcase yourself or whether
someone gave you something to take with you to Israel or whether the
luggage was left unattended. In some cases, some of the passengers and
their hand luggage are routinely checked again at the gate. There are
usually security officers on site who can conduct the interview in the
local language (or in the language of the destination country on the
return flight), but interviews can always be conducted in English.
If you want to travel by car or bus, you can only do that from Egypt
or Jordan; There are no border crossings open to civilians between
Lebanon and Israel and between Syria and Israel. Traveling overland from
Central Europe has now become practically impossible. The green
insurance card is valid in Israel.
There are three crossings on
the border with Jordan. Details can be found in the country article
Jordan. From Egypt, one enters Israel via the Taba border crossing, and
the Rafah border crossing leads to Gaza.
Entry by land is similar
to entry via an airport. You have to go through passport and security
checks and your luggage will be screened just like at the airport.
Departure tax charged. If you enter the country by land, the Israeli
authorities will also ask you questions, so that the entry procedure can
take hours.
The Israel Ministry of Tourism provides some brief
information on border crossings on its website. More detailed
information on the individual border crossings can be found in the
country article Jordan or on the website of the Israel Airports
Authority, which is also responsible for border crossings.
It is currently very difficult to enter Israel by car by ferry. The
port fees are high, as is the bureaucracy. Grimaldi Lines no longer
sails from Salerno to Israel. Salamis Shipping transports (Sept. 2018)
only vehicles, no foot passengers, once a week between Athens-Lavrio and
Haifa.
Cruise Cyprus offers excursions from Limassol to Haifa and
Ashdod in 2019. The two ports mentioned are also used by cruise ships
that are traveling in the eastern Mediterranean.
Entry by yacht is allowed in the ports of Ashkelon, Eilat, Haifa and
Herzliya, but not Tel Aviv. In any case, you should find out about the
restricted zones off the Israeli coast. Among other things, the Navy
rigorously enforces the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip by force of
arms. Before calling Eilat, it is advisable to register at least 48
hours in advance at shipping@idf.gov.il and fill out the IMOT form (for
Israelis on board) if necessary, to avoid problems with the Coast Guard.
At sea, however, one is almost always stopped far off the coast.
Insurance is not required by law, but is regularly required in ports.
Mooring fees are calculated based on the length of the ship.
Clearing in is subject to a fee per boat and per person; Night
(4pm-8/9am) and weekend surcharge on Friday and Saturday is double the
rate. Security and customs controls are precise but correct, sometimes
drug and explosives wipe tests are carried out.
The facilities at
the Herzliya Marina, six nautical miles north of Tel Aviv, which also
has good landside transport connections, are universally praised.
Getting around in Israel is easy with both public transport and
rental cars. Public transport in Israel is still largely handled by
buses, which go to almost every corner of the country. Taxis (speshel)
are everywhere, and their drivers do not receive tips. Licensed taxis
can be identified by the last two digits of the number plate: 25 or 26.
They all have taximeters. Between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. the night rate
is a quarter more expensive. Large pieces of luggage and a third and
fourth passenger cost a surcharge, as do telephone orders.
In the
metropolitan regions, each with a zone system, all local transport has
been switched to electronic tickets. You have to buy the Rav Kav chip
card, which works on a credit basis, for 5 ₪ and then load it at the
ticket machine. Personalized variants of Rav Kav with photo are relevant
only for season tickets and special discounts. Available (also in
combination): single trips, multiple trips (2, 10, 20), weekly ticket
and monthly ticket. There is also an all-Israel all-day pass for 60 ₪
(2019), the code on the machine is 950. Bus drivers now only sell a Rav
Kav with the charged amount for a single trip, the Rav Kav must be
purchased each time when boarding a bus or tram at corresponding vending
machines can be validated contactlessly, after validation has been
completed, a green light lights up on the validation machine and Go
lights up on the display, fare evasion is punished with 180 NIS.
Almost all city buses are now wheelchair accessible.
The Israeli
railways have massively expanded and improved their offer in recent
years, so that many larger cities can now also be reached by train. You
can also use the Rav Kav to pay for your tickets at the barriers to the
platform. Bicycles are not permitted during peak times, 6am-9am and
3pm-7pm.
The road network is dense and in good condition; the
country's main traffic arteries are often developed into multi-lane
motorways, along with many motorway-like roads and simple country roads.
There is a ban on alcohol at the wheel (0.0-0.1 ‰). Rental cars are only
allowed to be driven into the West Bank in very few cases, and insurance
coverage is generally refused in the event of stones thrown and willful
damage. You can tell whether a vehicle is registered in Israel, East
Jerusalem or the Palestinian Territory by its license plate. Israeli
vehicles have yellow (!) number plates, vehicles from East Jerusalem or
the PAA have white or green ones. Traffic signs largely follow the
pattern used in Europe.
A toll is collected electronically on
Highway 6, the license plate is scanned and the amount is charged to the
credit card. Rental car drivers pay a handling fee of the equivalent of
approx. 5 € for the settlement via the car rental company.
Long-distance buses don't go too far, the longest route is from Eilat to
Akko, 474km. However, most inner-city connections are less than two
hundred kilometers. Reservations are not common, except to Eilat. You
can pay at the counter in the bus station or in cash from the driver.
There are three categories: normal (me'asef) stops at every milk can,
express and directly from A to B. In rural areas, bus stops only have
route numbers and usually no timetables (Google Maps usually lists the
right ones), man must make sure (or check with the driver) that you
board the bus in the right direction. Departure displays with electronic
displays are used in Jerusalem and increasingly in the major cities. In
the cities, the intercity buses run from a "Central Bus Station". Bus
stops for changing trains in the countryside are usually located at the
intersections of the highways (which also have names), to continue you
have to cross the road at the zebra crossing and go to the bus stop for
the next line. Not all companies offer discounts on return tickets, when
they do, 15% is common. Bicycles can be taken along free of charge.
The largest bus company that also operates the Jerusalem public
transport system is Egged. Dan drives in the greater Tel Aviv area.
A good 120km of cycle paths are designated in the Tel Aviv city
area.
If you are traveling in Israel, you should always bear in mind the
completely different mobility situation on Shabbat, which ultimately
affects all means of transport. During Shabbat, i.e. between Friday
evening and Saturday evening, practically all public transport is
closed; there are no trains and normally no buses from the big bus
companies. There are exceptions in Haifa and where Arab bus companies
serve lines (e.g. around Nazareth). It is therefore not possible, for
example, to take a bus or a train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on Saturday
morning: neither one runs - you have to rely on a taxi or shared taxi.
Therefore, if you can arrange it without problems, the easiest way
is to plan a stay in one place for the period from Friday afternoon to
Saturday evening and then travel on. Alternatively, one could - at least
to a limited extent - use the "Sheruts" or Sherut taxis (Monít Scherút,
Hebrew מונית שירות, composed of Sherut equals "service" or "service" and
Monit equals "taxi"). This means of transport is rather unusual for
Central Europeans: The Sheruts are large-capacity or shared taxis that
sometimes run on the route of important bus lines or connect the airport
with various large Israeli cities. Unlike the airport Sheruts, the
shared taxis that run parallel to bus lines often have a sign with the
line number on the windshield and have fixed departure and arrival
points. Since the shared taxis also run on Shabbat, you can take them to
other cities or parts of the city, at least to a limited extent.
However, the prices are slightly higher than for the buses. Normal taxis
also run all the time, but are much more expensive.
If you are
traveling by car, you are less affected by the Shabbat at first. On the
contrary, the volume of traffic is then much lower than during weekdays
and it is faster to travel on the expressways of the big cities.
However, streets (even larger ones) may be closed in residential areas
with a high proportion of religious Jews. While secular Jews naturally
drive on Shabbat, orthodox Jews see it as strictly forbidden. Objects
have been thrown at moving cars on Shabbat as they drive through
Orthodox neighborhoods in Jerusalem.
In principle, the
instructions for the Shabbat also apply to the high Jewish holidays:
Even then, the means of transport stop operating on the evening before
the holiday. The situation is even more difficult for travelers on the
Jewish holiday Yom Kippur, the highest annual Jewish holiday (around the
end of September/beginning of October). This holiday is also observed by
most secular Jews; therefore, even private transport is closed on this
day, and there are no taxis either. If you miss your destination on the
eve of Yom Kippur, prepare to spend a day where you are.
Many larger cities in Israel can now also be reached by trains
operated by the Israel Railways (רכבת ישראל, Rakévet Jisra'él). Only
since the 1990s has the railway offered good alternatives to the still
widespread bus. Since then, the train connections have multiplied and
the network has been renovated or newly built in many areas. In the
coming years, the offers will be further improved and more routes will
be put into operation.
The route network (map) is still
comparatively small and essentially limited to the coastal strip. The
trains of the Israel Railways serve the greater Tel Aviv area in
particular with a service similar to the S-Bahn. There are important
connections outside of this area
from Tel Aviv north via Haifa
and Akko to Nahariya (to Haifa 2-3 trains/hour, beyond that 1-2
trains/hour)
from Haifa branch lines lead to Karmi'el and through the
Yesreel plain to Bet She'an
Jerusalem-Yitzhak-Navon ↔ Tel
Aviv-HaShalom fast trains (connecting at Ben Gurion Airport until
electrification is complete) have been running the route in 51 minutes
since 2018 and are doing
the historic route via Bet Shemesh to
Jerusalem-Malcha (to Bet Shemesh every hour, beyond that usually only
every 2 hours) is no longer served continuously.
from Tel Aviv south
via Ashdod to Ashkelon (1-2 trains/hr) and
to Be'er Sheva (every
hour).
There are no connections to neighboring countries; the
routes that used to be z. B. to Egypt and Lebanon were interrupted after
the founding of the State of Israel.
The trains are modern and
air-conditioned throughout, the ticket prices are low, and there is a
fare calculator on the train's English website.
The network's
main interchange stations are in Tel Aviv. Israel Railways recommends
the northernmost (Tel Aviv University) and southernmost (Tel Aviv
haHagana) stations as transfer stations. You can also change trains at
Tel Aviv main station "Tel Aviv Merkaz (or Center) - Savidor". Various
regional and national bus lines also stop at the main station.
In
Tel Aviv, you can walk from Tel Aviv haHagana train station to the New
Central Bus Station in about five minutes (from the train station, head
west, follow haHagana and Levinsky streets for 400m).
Other
important interchange stations are Haifa Central Station (Haifa Center
HaShmona), Binyamina (exchange option from the Haifa-Tel Aviv intercity
line to the Tel Aviv suburban line to the north) and Lod for some lines
coming from the south. Important transfer stations in the bus network in
Haifa are the train stations "Hof haCarmel" and "Lev haMifrats," both of
which are in the immediate vicinity of the bus stations of the same
name.
Since the railroad in the area of the Mandate of Palestine
was never as important as a mode of transport as it is in Europe, the
train stations are small and manageable. Most train stations only have
two sorting tracks, so it's hard to get lost. It makes traveling easier
that the signs with the names of the stations are not only in Hebrew,
but also in Arabic and, above all, in English. Unfortunately, most of
the other inscriptions and announcements are only in Hebrew, but it is
usually easy to find nice people who can translate them into English.
Unfortunately, the train stations are often relatively far away from
the city centers, which is why it may be useful to take a look at the
city map beforehand. You will often have to travel a little further by
bus at your destination, sometimes it even makes more sense to take the
bus straight away. Traveling by train is worthwhile due to the frequency
and the good connections, especially between Haifa, Tel Aviv, Ben Gurion
Airport and thanks to the opening of the new Jerusalem rapid transit
line.
Purchased tickets are valid to a destination specified at
the time of purchase. The ticket is required to enter via a barrier and
to leave the destination station - also via a barrier - and should
therefore not be lost during the journey. The ticket is only valid for
the selected destination station; if you get off at another station, the
turnstile will refuse you to leave the station. However, if you've gone
a few stops too far, you can return without buying another ticket.
The fairly rigid security checks at every train station, which
sometimes include screening or scanning luggage, take some getting used
to. It can also happen that the passport is required.
The main form of public transport in Israel is the bus. Although rail
transport has gained in importance in recent years, the bus is still an
extremely important mode of transport, allowing you to travel large
parts of the country relatively comfortably and quickly.
On many
national routes, an amazingly tight schedule is offered in bus services.
A frequency of 15 to 60 minutes is normal between larger cities. The
tight schedule makes traveling by bus very pleasant, because at least on
the more important routes you don't have to wait too long for the next
bus. When changing trains, the waiting times are often short. In
addition, national lines often only stop at stops along the main roads
or in large towns, so that you can get on relatively quickly. A special
feature are also express buses, which only serve a few stops along the
route (sometimes only at the start and destination) and otherwise drive
through.
The heart of bus transportation are the Central Bus
Stations in the cities, known in Hebrew as Tachaná Merkazít (תחנה
מרכזית, the "z" is pronounced as a voiced "s") and in English as
"Central Bus Station" (often abbreviated to CBS). be designated. The bus
stations are served by national, regional and local bus lines, making it
easy to transfer to other buses. In some cases, there are also transfer
options to the Israeli railways at the central bus stations. At the
"CBS" you can usually get snacks and drinks and sometimes you can also
buy small things. The central bus stations are not always in the
immediate vicinity of the city center, but they are in any case well
connected to the city center by city buses.
Luggage storage is only
offered at Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Be'er Sheva and Hof HaCarmel (Haifa) bus
stations due to widespread bomb fears.
Traveling by bus in Israel
is less confusing the first time when you have some basic information
about bus travel. This initially affects the bus stations: they usually
have a large number of bus platforms (רציף, Retzíf, English platform),
with the individual bus lines usually always starting at the same bus
platform. The journey often ends in an area of the bus station where you
can only get off; you then go from there to the bus platforms of the
departing lines. In the bus stations, orientation is made easier by the
fact that there are display boards and bus platform signs on which the
lines and destinations also appear in English. The most important key to
the bus system is the line number. Since the buses of a line always run
on the same route, you can easily find your way around the line number
once you know it. This also applies when boarding a bus along the route;
once you know which line(s) to take in the direction you want, you just
have to be careful not to take a bus in the opposite direction. The
destination display on the bus, on the other hand, is of little use - if
there is a destination at all, it is usually only in Hebrew. You can
find out which bus you can take in the bus station, otherwise you can
see it on the information board on the bus platform or on the bus stop
sign on the bus shelter, on which the numbers and the corresponding
destinations of the departing or stopping lines are listed. There may
also be several lines going in the desired direction. By the way: At the
bus stops, the signs are in Hebrew on one side and in English on the
back. Timetables, on the other hand, are practically never found at the
bus stops. On the main routes, however, this is usually not a problem
due to the tight timing; you simply stand at the bus stop and wait for
the next bus. It is often (not always) the case that numbers up to 100
are used for local and regional buses, and numbers up to 999 for
national buses.
If you travel on intercity routes with larger
luggage (backpack or suitcase), the bus driver often - not always - asks
you to deposit your belongings in the trunk of the bus; at the bus
stations the doors are often already open. On the older buses you may
have to open the trunk yourself, on the newer buses the driver operates
the doors with the push of a button. Even if you don't sit next to your
luggage all the time, there are usually no problems with this system, so
there's no need to start discussions with the bus driver. You also
benefit as a traveler if you can get to the seats and the exit more
easily and there are more free seats because not everything is blocked
with large bags. It makes sense to stow valuable or sensitive items in
hand luggage from the start, which you can always take with you on the
bus.
If you want to get off on the route, you have to ring the
bell and should keep your eyes open on unfamiliar routes: Even if you
have told the bus driver or bought a ticket from him, you cannot always
rely on him to get to the desired one stops without being asked or
reminded. If you get out on the route and still have luggage in the
trunk, you should remind the driver again when getting out for your own
safety. The buses in Israel usually run quite quickly; Accordingly, they
do not stay unnecessarily long at the bus stops.
There are
several bus companies in Israel that own the almost always
air-conditioned and well-maintained buses. The main bus company is the
former state company Egged, whose buses travel all over the country.
Other companies are of regional importance. The best-known of these is
probably the bus company DAN, which traditionally operates most of the
bus routes in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area (the "Gush Dan"). Other
companies are Egged Ta'avura with connections a.o. in the northern
Negev, Metrodan Beersheba and Metropoline with services in and around
Beersheba, Golan in the Golan Heights, and Kavim, Nativ Express,
Superbus and Connex operating routes in the middle and north.
In
recent years, Egged and Dan's dominance of public bus transport has
declined, although both still cover a large part of the market. One
advantage for travelers is lower prices, but one disadvantage is the far
greater complexity. This already starts in the bus stations, where the
bus platforms of the private companies are often not at the Egged bus
platforms, but somewhere else. In addition, many smaller companies only
offer information in Hebrew on the Internet. At the same time, Egged's
timetable information only lists its own lines; if a line is taken over
by another company, the line number is often retained, but it disappears
from the Egged directory. The situation is made a little easier by the
fact that bus information for all lines is now also available in English
at bus.co.il. On Egged, as on Bus.co.il, you can search for connections
on a specific route as well as for individual lines. It should be noted
when entering that the spelling of the place names follows English
spelling habits; so you should try different spelling variants if you
can't find the place. If you are still unsuccessful, you can enter a
place that you suspect or know to be on the route and then display the
route timetable.
Tickets are available at bus stations from the
ticket counter or directly from the bus driver when boarding at a bus
stop. In addition to single tickets, there are also day tickets (which
are of particular interest if you change trains frequently),
multiple-journey tickets and monthly tickets. You have to get in at the
front and show your ticket. Egged tickets can also be conveniently
ordered by telephone (payment by credit card) or by using the Rav Nav
prepaid card. This is particularly advisable for longer routes such as
Eilat, where advance booking is generally required - especially at
weekends when Eilat is a popular tourist destination.
If you get
on at a major stop or the bus station, you should expect security
checks. During such checks, the bag can be checked, possibly also the
passport and, if necessary, even more precise checks are carried out. At
the Jerusalem bus station, controls are particularly strict; there, bags
and backpacks are generally x-rayed when entering the building. Since
buses have been the targets of terrorist attacks in the past and are
therefore potentially at risk, you should show understanding for the
security measures and cooperate with the security guards, who are
usually very polite.
It should be noted that the buses do not run
on Shabbat and on high Jewish holidays (cf. the detailed general
information at the beginning of the chapter).
The car is a widespread means of transport in Israel, with which one
gets around very well in the country. However, one should not be too
scared: The Israelis are considered to be impatient and not exactly
considerate drivers, who can certainly compete with the Italians and
other Mediterranean countries in terms of driving style. However, if you
drive reasonably safely yourself, driving is not a big problem.
Renting a car usually requires you to be at least 21 years old (there
are clear differences between car rental companies; for example, some
rental companies may have a higher limit, others charge a surcharge for
younger drivers between 21 and 21). 23). An international driver's
license is recommended if the driver's license is not written in Latin
letters. The German driver's license or the Swiss driver's license is
recognized for a period of up to one year. In the larger cities there
are the well-known international as well as Israeli car rental
companies. If you do not attach great importance to renting the cheapest
car, you can consider booking in advance. Germany-based company works
with local rental companies, but offers extensive guaranteed insurance
benefits, so you don't have to compare the policies of different rental
companies (there are sometimes big differences here). You will then be
given a voucher to get a car at the local station. It should be noted
that additional fees may apply when renting at Ben Gurion Airport.
Having your own vehicle makes little sense due to the shortage of
parking spaces in the inner cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
Tourists are exempt from VAT on rental cars. This saves 18%. The price
of petrol fluctuated in the first half of 2019 between 6.25 and 6.75 ₪.
In any case, you should check the vehicles very carefully when you
hand them over and have every scratch, no matter how small, documented,
otherwise you will be presented with a salty bill when you return it.
Comprehensive insurance without any deductible costs extra, but makes
sense given the rough driving style in the country.
In road
traffic, internationally recognized traffic rules apply. Israel has
right-hand traffic. At unsigned intersections, right before left
applies. The signs comply with international standards; there is a
difference with the stop signs, which show a white hand in the middle
instead of the lettering "Stop". Signposts and street signs are usually
written not only in Hebrew but also in English and Arabic; other
information and warning signs are often multilingual. 50 km/h in
built-up areas and 80 km/h outside of built-up areas; the speed limit on
motorways is usually higher. From November to March, lights are
compulsory during the day.
Alcohol is permitted up to a blood
concentration of 0.1 ‰, but not for drivers under the age of 24, for
those who drive commercially or in vehicles over 3.5 t. a zero alcohol
limit applies here.
You can tell from the curb markings whether
you are allowed to park in a spot or not: you can park at white and blue
markings, but you should check whether you have to pay parking fees
(parking tickets from a parking ticket machine or kiosk). Buses and
taxis are allowed to stop at the yellow and red markings, but there is
no stopping at the red and white markings.
Israel has a
well-developed and dense road network in the north and in the middle.
Since most of the country in the south is uninhabited desert area, the
road network there is much thinner, but still sufficiently dense. You
can travel the whole country by car without any problems. One should
know that the larger cities in the country have difficulties coping with
private transport. In the rush hour, in particular, there is hardly any
progress on the major access roads and arterial roads, and traffic jams
and slow-moving traffic are then the rule rather than the exception in
many places. This applies in particular to the Tel Aviv city highway
"Ayalon Highway" (road 20): this main traffic artery is almost always
congested during rush hour on weekdays, despite its maximum of five
lanes in each direction.
Israeli roads outside of the city are
generally numbered, which also indicates the importance of the road.
Streets with a one-digit number are important, nationally important
streets; most of these roads are at least partially freeways. If they
are motorways, the roads are marked with blue signs. Unlike in Germany,
for example, there are no separate numbering systems for the different
road types in Israel (e.g. one system for the Autobahn and one for the
federal highway). That is, the road with a specific number can be either
a freeway (blue) or a normal country road (red). Street 1 given here as
an example is e.g. B. from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem highway (marked blue in
the area), in the further course to Jericho to the Dead Sea in sections
only country road (red).
Streets with a two-digit number are
nationally important country roads; they are usually marked with red
signs. These roads can also be built like a motorway and still be marked
in red; in this case they typically have level crossings. In front of
such large traffic light crossings, the road often fans out, but the
additional lanes end again after the traffic light. Also, there are some
two-digit numbered roads that actually count as highways (e.g. the
aforementioned Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, which is signposted in blue).
Streets with a three-digit number are usually only of regional
importance; they may well be as little as 20 kilometers long. The street
number is usually green. However, there are also some (few) streets that
are considered motorways; these are then also marked in blue.
Four-digit number roads are of local importance, often only a few
kilometers long and possibly even dead ends. These roads are marked with
brown signs.
A special feature is Road 6: This highway, also
known as the "Trans Israel Highway", runs from the southern Carmel
Mountains to the northern Negev, largely bypassing the congested and
congested metropolitan area around Tel Aviv. Since it was built with the
participation of private investors, it is subject to a toll. Driving on
this route can be quite expensive for rental car users because some
rental companies charge an additional processing fee on the credit card
for the settlement of the toll (the license plates are scanned and the
amount is charged to the credit card according to the number of sections
used).
Palestinian Autonomous Territories
When driving on
these, you should find out about the current security situation, as
Israel can close the borders for several days at any time. Travel to the
Gaza Strip is currently not possible due to the security situation.
Driving a rental car into Palestinian territories may be prohibited
at times or for certain areas of the West Bank. The two important roads
1 (Jerusalem - Dead Sea) and 90 (West Bank of the Dead Sea - Jordan
Valley - Bet She'an) in Area C can normally be navigated without
problems, a checkpoint has to be passed when entering Israeli territory,
what usually easily possible for tourists. In the cities of Area A of
the Palestinian Autonomous Territories, which are under Palestinian
administration, it is generally not allowed to drive a rental car with
the yellow Israeli license plate, large red signs prohibit Israeli
citizens from entering, the access control will usually deny entry . In
times of less tense political situation, however, cities in the
Palestinian autonomous region of Area A/B can again be visited by
vehicles obviously occupied by tourists (rental cars with stickers,
white skin and sunburn tell the security that they are dealing with
Central European tourists). .
If you are planning trips in the
West Bank, you should clarify at the time of renting to what extent
there are restrictions on insurance coverage.
It used to be common in Israel and relatively easy to get around by
hitchhiking. In the meantime the situation has changed a bit,
hitchhiking has become more difficult and dangerous. In view of the
possible risks, you should always think twice before hitchhiking (see
also the corresponding Wikivoyage topic page).
You should know
that soldiers are more likely to be taken along than normal travelers
and that you don't signal your wish to be taken with an outstretched
thumb. Instead, you stand on the side of the road and point to the
middle of the road with your arm casually hanging down. Regional - e.g.
B. in the area of the Golan Heights - it is difficult to find a ride at
all.
Israel is very suitable for hiking and extremely attractive if you can cope with the climatic circumstances. There are good trail maps, plenty of signposted trails and several long-distance trails, and you're never far from a historic site or attraction.
The main lingua franca in Israel is Hebrew. Other important languages
are Arabic (among the Israeli Arabs) and Russian. The latter is spoken
because Israel has taken in many Jews from Russia, especially since the
1990s. In some cases, Russian has even made it onto the streets: some
shops have signs in Russian.
However, you can also get along well
with English in the country. Many signs on the streets, shops and public
buildings are also written in English. Since English is taught in
schools in Israel as a foreign language, at least most Israeli-born
Israelis speak this language. Due to the country's strong focus on
tourism, knowledge of English is a matter of course for many Israelis.
Many older Israelis also speak German - although not always willingly.
However, it can happen that you end up with an Israeli who doesn't
know English (or at least doesn't understand it or doesn't want to speak
it). Then at the latest it makes sense to master a few words - quite
apart from the fact that it is positively registered if you know at
least a few terms and phrases.
For pronunciation, it is helpful
to know that Hebrew words are usually stressed on the last syllable. An
important exception to this rule are the words ending in -et, which are
stressed on the penultimate syllable. Like English, Hebrew has the sound
"ch"; it can also be at the beginning of the word. The most important
terms and phrases can be found in the Hebrew phrasebook.
Some
Israelis are a bit more open if you know a few Hebrew words - but they
are helpful in most cases.
The currency of Israel is the New Israeli Shekel, abbreviated NIS. In
Hebrew, the term is שקל חדש, Shekel Chadash; The official currency
symbol ₪ is composed of the two initial letters of Hebrew - Hebrew is
read from the right. The shekel is divided into 100 agorot. The smallest
coin is the 10 agorot piece; this bronze-colored "cent" is unpopular and
should not be confused with the two-tone 10 shekel coin.
When
shopping, you can estimate the prices quite well, since you get about
four shekels for one euro (the current exchange rate can be found here).
This rate has been fairly stable for years. Inflation was 0.2% in 2018.
In order to put the local prices in relation, one should know that
7400 ₪ in Haifa and almost 9000 ₪ in Tel Aviv in 2018 was an average
monthly net wage, which roughly corresponds to the income in the German
accession area.
Banks (opening hours Mon-Thu 8.30-12.30/13.00,
not every afternoon 15.00/16.00-18.00, some Fri. and Sun. mornings)
charge considerable fees for the exchange. The Postbank and private
exchange offices (away from the tourist centers) or withdrawing local
currency directly from ATMs are cheaper. In German-speaking countries,
Israeli shekels are not available in smaller banks and must be ordered
before departure.
Some (rather high-priced) shops, jewelers and
galleries quote their prices in US$ to reduce the risk of exchange rate
fluctuations, caution should be exercised when comparing prices. Grocery
stores etc. cannot be used to pay in foreign currencies.
Credit
cards (mainly VISA) are widely used in Israel, you can often pay with
them. If you want to rent a car or reserve accommodation, you usually
even need a credit card; this even applies to Israeli youth hostels.
With a credit card, you can easily withdraw money from the banks' ATMs,
since the operating menus are also available in English. At some banks,
e.g. B. at the widespread bank hapoalim, you can also get money with an
EC card. Empty ATMs will not be refilled on Saturday.
Israel has
a wide range of shopping opportunities, ranging from markets and small
shops to supermarkets and malls. In many cities there are shopping
centers that combine many shops, cafes and some leisure facilities under
one roof. The range of goods does not fundamentally differ from that in
Europe; one difference is that the items offered in Israel are usually
“kosher” (i.e. ritually clean), which means, for example, that you can
hardly or not at all get certain types of meat and fish. Since most of
the products are also labeled in English, shopping is usually not a
problem. In the Arabic markets (e.g. in the Old City of Jerusalem) there
are often no fixed prices; you then have to negotiate with the sellers.
Across the region, the "weekend" is primarily based on the religion of
the business owner. Day off can be Friday, Saturday or Sunday. Opening
hours are usually 8am-1pm and 4pm-7pm or later. In conservative Jewish
and Muslim areas it occurs on Saturday and Sunday respectively. in
Ramadan to an almost complete standstill of public life.
There
are some "typical" gifts and souvenirs that are offered (and often
bought) in many places. Mention should be made here of a. Personal care
products from the Dead Sea, jewellery, wood carvings made from olive
wood, religious articles (e.g. crosses, but also menorahs and Jewish
kippot), so-called "Armenian ceramics" (colorful ceramic dishes with
motifs specific to Israel) and Israeli specialties such as kosher wine.
There are also more bizarre souvenirs, e.g. crowns of thorns or bottles
with (often fake) Jordan water.
When shopping for jewelry and art
objects, works of art from the countless galleries, tourists often get a
19% VAT refund. To do this, the seller fills out a form in which the
traveler must enter their address and passport number, at the airport
the items to be exported must be presented at the VAT Refound counter
and the VAT will be refunded in cash after deduction of a commission in
shekels, euros or US$ . Discounts can often be negotiated for more
expensive items.
If you just want to stroll through the shops,
you can visit the city's pedestrian streets or shopping malls. However,
it is also worth going to the markets (e.g. in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv),
which are often much cheaper and the best way to buy fresh fruit and
vegetables. Large malls (shopping centers with a large number of shops)
have established themselves everywhere, mostly on the outskirts of the
city. Security checks are carried out at the entrances to prevent bomb
attacks and backpacks and bags must be shown open, the interior is often
air-conditioned and many Israelis enjoy going out in the cool malls on
hot days. There are often several catering options with a shared seating
area on one floor.
The range of dishes is very diverse, which is related to the
multitude of different influences. Many Jews who immigrated to Israel
over the decades brought with them from their former homelands around
the world dishes that have become part of Israeli cuisine. There are
also clear influences from the Arabic-Oriental cuisine, which is typical
for the Israeli Arabs and the Druze anyway.
Pork lovers will not
get their money's worth. The dietary laws of the two largest religious
communities against the consumption of these animals has led to the
regulation since 1961, according to which pigs "are not allowed to set
foot on the soil of the country". The attempt by some farmers in the
years after 2000 to breed pigs in stables with slatted frames met with
little success. Especially in Nazareth and Tel Aviv, with its large
Russian community, pork is still available under the euphemistic name
“white meat”.
In 2019, a meal in a simple restaurant should cost
₪36-80, a 3-course meal for two costs ₪150-200. This corresponds to the
Central European level. A little water comes to ₪5-10, a beer to ₪15-35,
although imported brands are often cheaper here. Tips for waiters in
restaurants are rarely usual, apart from for very good service, there is
often a can at the cash register from which those working in the
background also get their share.
If the Jewish cuisine is primarily considered to be “Israeli
cuisine”, then a number of special features can be cited. The Jewish
cuisine has a multitude of regulations that are strictly observed by
devout Jews. In order for a dish to be "kosher", i.e. pure according to
Jewish understanding, and to be eaten, a wide variety of rules must be
observed. derived from the Torah and the Talmud:
Initially, only
certain types of animals may be eaten. Permitted are e.g. B. beef and
various types of poultry. The animal species that are not allowed
include e.g. Pigs and some fish species such as the eel.
The typical
form of slaughter is slaughter; this is a slaughtering process in which
the animal bleeds as much as possible. Because the consumption of blood
is forbidden, any remaining blood is completely removed from the meat by
further procedures.
Another special feature of Jewish cuisine is the
complete separation of milk and meat products, which is traced back to
an Old Testament instruction that the kid should not be cooked in its
mother's milk. In practice, this rule has far-reaching consequences:
after eating meat, orthodox Jews wait six hours before drinking milk
again; Recipes that would require both at the same time (e.g. any dish
topped with cheese that also contains meat) are not allowed. The
separation of milk and meat can go so far among conservative Jews that
they even have two kitchens in their private households; kosher
restaurants and hotels also have separate cooking areas or kitchens and
different types of cutlery and crockery for dairy and meat dishes.
Vegetables, but also eggs and fish, are considered neutral foods that
can be combined with both. This religious regulation has an important
advantage for vegetarians: They can avoid animal products more easily,
because kosher Israeli food is labeled as to whether it contains meat or
milk or is neutral (“parve”).
In addition to these basic
regulations, the Jewish dietary laws have various other regulations.
When visiting a kosher restaurant, you may not notice much of these
dietary laws if you don't consciously pay attention to them: The
routines in the kitchen or when setting the tables usually remain
hidden. In addition, contrary to the opinion that is sometimes
expressed, kosher food, especially meat, does not necessarily have to
taste bland. However, in a kosher (meat) restaurant, e.g. For example,
you can't have ground beef lasagna with real cheese or coffee with real
milk after dinner.
The already strict Jewish dietary rules are
even more radical than usual during the Passover period, which falls
around the time of our Easter festival, since during this festival
nothing "leavened" (e.g. nothing prepared with yeast) may be eaten .
Especially for this time there is also a special unleavened bread, the
so-called "matzo" or "matzo". In supermarkets these days, all areas with
biscuits, etc. are covered with tarpaulins, unless the management of the
supermarket is in the hands of an enterprising Arab.
A special
feature is the Israeli breakfast, which is typically very rich. Such a
breakfast offers everything your heart desires - apart from meat and
sausage products, if it is a kosher house. Apparently there are
differences in the accommodations; if you are lucky, you will be treated
to a large buffet in the morning. You may miss the chocolate spread, but
you will be compensated with different types of bread, puff pastry
pockets and cakes, eggs in different shapes, muesli, yoghurt, salads,
fresh fruit and vegetables as well as antipasti and maybe even fish.
You can buy a small snack in many places on the street, at (bus)
train stations or in shopping centres. A delicious specialty is falafel.
These are savory, deep-fried balls made from ground chickpeas, which are
eaten in a dumpling with tomatoes, cucumbers and salad, for example. The
counterpart to the doner kebab that is well known in this country is
schwarma, which is also roasted on a skewer and eaten in dumplings.
There are also pizzas in street sales - however, due to the dietary
rules already described, they usually do not have meat as a topping, but
e.g. with olives or vegetables.
Essentially all drinks that are also known in Central Europe are
available in Israel. Mineral water is available from local sources, and
there is a large selection of Israeli-made juices. The well-known soft
drinks (such as Coca Cola) are also available. Typical Israeli beer
brands are Maccabee and Goldstar, you can also buy European brands.
There is a wide variety of wines produced in the Holy Land; Well-known
wineries are Carmel, Barkan and Golan, but there are a number of other
smaller wineries, some of which produce very good wines.
The law
prohibits the sale of alcohol outside of bars and restaurants between
11pm and 6am. The same applies to drinking in public or in cars after
9pm (all day in Jerusalem and Beersheba). Minimum age is 18, ID will be
checked. The police can confiscate alcohol from minors. Since 2013 there
has been a 25% alcohol tax.
If you want a warm drink, you can
choose between many different types of tea and coffee. Instant coffee
(often just called "Nescafe") is drunk. An alternative to this is the
"Turkish coffee," which is prepared like mocha and served with grounds
and partially flavored with cardamom. Often you can also order filter
coffee or Italian coffee specialties.
In many Israeli cities there is still much to do in the evenings and
at night. In many places there are cafés, pubs and bars that are open
late into the night. Due to the Mediterranean climate, there is still a
lot going on in the inner cities in the evening hours, and many shops
are open late. The main days out are Thursday and Friday nights, in Tel
Aviv you can go out any day. However, the Shabbat also provides
important exceptions here: On Friday evening, peace returns to religious
towns and districts; if you walk down Jerusalem's pedestrian zone on Ben
Yehuda Street that evening, you'll find the doors closed and you're
practically alone. However, there is no uniform curfew.
The main
cities with a strong nightlife are Eilat and Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv, "the
city that never sleeps," is considered the party capital par excellence
in Israel. There is an almost unmanageable number of bars and clubs. An
important help here is the English version of "Time-out"; this Tel Aviv
go-to magazine is available at tourist offices.
In Tel Aviv,
there are many bars on Allenby Street, the seafront promenade,
Lilienblum Street and Nahalat Binyamina Street (although there are many
others, of course). Many clubs are located in Florentin, in the old port
and in the Harekevet area. It should be noted that most clubs only open
after midnight; after that you can party until the wee hours. Otherwise,
Israelis also like going to the many cafés (e.g. on Ibn Gvirol Street,
Sheikin Street and Rothschild Boulevard).
If you are mobile, you
can also inquire about a kibbutz disco.
At the end of 2018, an
anti-prostitution law was passed that fines clients from 2000 ₪ from
2020 and at the same time provides for measures to “reform” women
working in the trade. It is doubtful whether the "oldest trade in the
world" can really be eliminated in this way. Anyone who does not want to
get into unpleasant situations as a man should visit the areas where
street prostitution is (still) flourishing, e.g. in the south of Tel
Aviv around the old bus station and Tel Baruch beach in the north of the
city. Both neighborhoods are notorious for drug trafficking and other
petty crime.
Israel has a wide range of accommodation options - the offer ranges
from camping to very basic accommodation, youth hostels, private rooms
with bed and breakfast, rural hotel complexes to high-class (and
expensive) multi-star hotels. The Israeli Ministry of Tourism gives a
rough overview of the offer on the corresponding page.
Foreigners
with tourist visa categories B2, B3 and B4 are exempt from 18% VAT on
overnight stays. This also applies to food and drink and other services
received at the hotel. Internet booking portals do not include this in
their prices either. Hoteliers like to quote their prices in US$ and
then "miscalculate" the exchange rate in their favor.
High season
rates are charged around the high Jewish holidays and in July/August. In
the Palestinian territories they are about the same all year round
(except in Bethlehem at Easter and Christmas) and on average about a
third cheaper for the same quality.
Especially in Jerusalem and
Tel Aviv there is a wide range of hotels, mostly in the simple or middle
price range. Some of these have adapted to groups of pilgrims. Most of
the well-known hotel chains in the upper segment are also represented
here. The same applies to the cities or seaside resorts on the
Mediterranean coast. In general, one can assume that the larger cities
in Israel have one or more hotels. You can get an overview on the
website of the Israel Hotel Association (Israel Hotel Association/IHA);
you can also search specifically for hotels there. More than 300 hotels
nationwide are united under the umbrella of this association.
Incidentally, the prices for hotels and other hostels in the upper
segments are often not given in shekels, but in US dollars.
People
tend to be cautious with tips, 5 ₪ on the pillow the day after arrival
is enough to keep the maid happy.
In the rural regions there are
tourist accommodations, especially in kibuzzim (cooperatively organized
community settlements), some of which maintain holiday villages, usually
with hotel standards. These hotel complexes often have a more familiar
character and are usually located in scenic areas, e.g. B. in the Carmel
Mountains, on the Mediterranean Sea or on the Sea of Galilee. At least
some of these hotels can also be found on IHA.
You can often find
country lodges in smaller towns that at least offer bed and breakfast.
The furnishing of the private rooms can be quite spartan by Central
European standards. Increasingly attractive to Israelis and travelers
alike are guesthouses in private households, known as "guesthouses" or
"tsimmers" - you can come across simply furnished rooms as well as
luxurious self-contained apartments, en-suite bathrooms, air
conditioning, fridge, tea maker, microwave and Stovetop for
self-sufficiency are almost always part of the offer and when you check
in there are always a few tips for excursions in the area. In terms of
price, they are usually in the upper middle segment.
If you would
like to stay in a Christian guest house, the website of the Christian
Information Center (cicts.org) in Jerusalem can at least help with
address, telephone and e-mail addresses. However, the page does not
contain any further Internet addresses and no other further information.
Despite their character, the Christian guesthouses are not only suitable
for Christians or particularly religious people; some of them offer
pleasant accommodation with good service at a reasonably reasonable
price. Bible studies with an American-Evangelical orientation are often
included.
The Israeli youth hostels, which also offer overnight
accommodation in many locations, are somewhat cheaper, but not yet in
the lowest price segment. It is also possible to rent rooms as double
rooms. In some places, e.g. in Massada or En Gedi, the youth hostel may
even be the best option. Israeli youth hostels usually offer basic but
relatively good facilities. If you want to live close to the city
center, you should check the location; the Tel Aviv youth hostel is
located z. B. quite a bit north of the center. An overview of the
accommodations of the Israeli youth hostel association IYHA (Israel
Youth Hostel Association) is also available in German on the
corresponding page.
Finally, private hostels are popular with
backpackers, some of which offer overnight stays for very little money -
often without breakfast. Private hostels are quite common in Israel,
especially in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and they can be a great help on
the wallet, as you can find the cheapest accommodation in the ₪50 to
₪100 price range. However, you can definitely end up in hostels with bad
service, where the facilities are also bad and the hygiene is not
exactly worthy of enthusiasm. Those who are sensitive should not rent a
private hostel without looking at it, but first let them show you the
room or dormitories, the bathrooms, and in some cases also the other
guests. If you're not overly sensitive and don't need a lot of luxury, a
private hostel can be a good option for the night. Hostels-israel.com
and hostelz.com are particularly helpful when looking for such
accommodation. The latter site also offers ratings and testimonials.
Israel is the destination of various student and youth exchange
programs; A possible contact address on this topic is, for example, the
coordination center for German-Israeli youth exchange ConAct in
Wittenberg.
As a student, you can spend one or more semesters
abroad in the country, but you have to reckon with considerable costs,
since the fees are quite high (the sums can easily be 10,000 US dollars
a year). The German Academic Exchange Service offers detailed
information on studying in Israel on the relevant DAAD pages about
Israel. Additional links are also given there.
An Israeli
specialty are the so-called Ulpaním (singular: Ulpán, אולפן, "lesson" or
"studio"). These are special intensive courses for learning the Hebrew
language. These courses are often coupled with work or study visits. The
primary target group is first and foremost Jewish new immigrants,
although there is sometimes the opportunity for foreigners to take part
in ulpan courses.
It may not be necessary to know Hebrew for a
study stay in Israel. This applies above all to youth exchange offers,
but also to some courses, since there are also offers and courses in
English. Regardless of the specific purpose of your stay, you should
always find out about the relevant visa regulations, since a B-2 tourist
visa is usually not sufficient; As an Austrian or Swiss person, you also
have to take care of adequate health insurance in advance and think
about how you can finance a (longer) stay. A student visa does not
include a work permit!
There will hardly be anyone who does not deal with the topic of
"security" before a holiday in Israel. Is it safe to travel to this
country and maybe even to the Palestinian territories? Almost everyone
will hear from some well-meaning acquaintance before the trip, “does it
have to be Israel? Aren't you afraid to go there? What about the
attacks?” If you're not worried at this point, you probably will be when
you experience the first security checks and the heavy police and
military presence in the country.
How dangerous is a trip to
Israel? It is difficult to give a general answer, but in any case a trip
to Israel is less dangerous than it might seem when viewed from Central
Europe. A few considerations make this assessment plausible; they should
not play down or negate the potential dangers, but should correct one or
the other prejudice:
The image of Israel and the Palestinian
territories is strongly determined by the news reports. While one hardly
hears anything in the daily press about normal everyday life in Israel,
each incident is recorded as "another collision, another attack...". The
events that make the news headlines dominate the picture of the country
as a whole.
The risk of attacks is actually lower than is often
assumed. In the last few years since the security fence (or "barrier")
to the West Bank was erected, there have been almost no attacks in the
Israeli heartland. The risk of dying in a traffic accident is about the
same as in Europe - almost as many people die on Israel's roads every
year as in all previous attacks combined.
Many clashes are local and
limited in time and their dimensions are often hardly more serious than
clashes between the police and autonomists or football fans in this
country. It can happen that when you ask at the reception of a hotel in
Jerusalem about an incident from the previous week that was reported in
the news at home, the person asked has to think for a moment whether
there was anything (and if so , What)...
In order not to be
misunderstood: the situation is actually more unstable than in Europe.
Tensions between Palestinian Arabs and extremist Israelis can escalate
at any time. Both sides are often not interested in a de-escalation, but
rather hope for media attention, especially in their own interest group,
thanks to provocations. The risk of attacks is still not completely
averted. Therefore, in the run-up to a privately organized trip to
Israel, one should observe the general development in the region and
find out more about the relevant websites of the foreign ministry of the
home country.
Israel is not fundamentally unsafe, otherwise the country would not
be the destination of many tourists. However, you can still improve your
own security in the country if you follow certain basic rules:
Follow
the instructions of the security staff.
Cooperate with security
services, even though checks and interrogations can be unfamiliar and
uncomfortable.
Avoid large crowds as far as possible. When
demonstrations by orthodox Jews or Palestinians escalate into violence,
the army may use live ammunition.
Leave unnecessary provocations! A
walk with the Israeli flag in the Arab quarters of Hebron is just as
inappropriate as a Palestinian scarf on the Western Wall, even if the
latter provocation poses no danger to life and limb.
If you have
organized your trip yourself and are in the country at a time when the
situation is unsettled, then inform yourself regularly about the current
situation and avoid trouble spots. Daily news is available on the
Internet on the English websites of the country's largest daily
newspapers. If necessary, you can ask about current developments in the
tourist offices and in the respective accommodation.
Good to know:
Since aggression is primarily directed against the other side and both
sides benefit from tourism, it is sometimes not the worst thing if you
are recognizable as a tourist.
In general, apart from the Gaza
Strip, you can travel practically the whole country and also the West
Bank without any particular dangers. Exception: In the border area to
the Gaza Strip (e.g. in the area around Sderot) there are repeated
rocket attacks by Hamas activists, so that one should avoid the
immediate border area in times of increased aggression or at least find
out about the current situation. Travel to the Gaza Strip is currently
(2019) not possible.
Magen David Adom (Israeli "Red Star of David") emergency number: ☎
101
The health system in the Israeli heartland offers care at a
high level that is absolutely comparable to that in western
industrialized countries. However, the comfort of the hospital rooms and
the length of the waiting times in the emergency rooms of hospitals
cannot keep up with what is usual in German-speaking countries.
In medical emergencies, the emergency departments of the hospitals
provide further assistance. All Israeli doctors and the younger members
of the nursing staff speak some English. In the event of illness, you
can inquire about German-speaking doctors at the embassy of your home
country (list of various doctors in Tel Aviv). Similar to the Red Cross
in Germany, there is the so-called Magén Davíd Adóm (Hebrew: מגן דוד
אדום "Red Star of David") in Israel, which is responsible for patient
transport and emergency rescue, but also runs its own polyclinics.
The German-Israeli social security agreement ensures emergency
medical care, also for employees, upon presentation of a foreign health
certificate, which can be requested from the respective health insurance
company (the EHIC does not apply). There is no social security agreement
with Austria, travelers from Switzerland are usually reimbursed the
maximum amount that is usual in Switzerland for emergency treatment
(which accounts for the bills of Israeli hospitals, which are lower than
in Switzerland). You should only consider taking out travel insurance to
cover the costs of salvage and return transport to your home country.
With regard to vaccinations, recommendations are identical to those
in German-speaking countries, according to Swiss vaccination
recommendations, a hepatitis A vaccination is only recommended for
visitors (VFR=Visiting Friends and Relatives) of Arab families in the
country.
If you take medication regularly, you need to take
enough supplies with you for the period of travel. Eyeglass wearers
should consider taking spare glasses with them on the trip. A small
first-aid kit is also a recommended part of your luggage. You should
definitely not forget - especially in the summer months - a hat,
sunglasses and sunscreen.
There are hardly any other health risks
in Israel than in Central Europe. Drinking tap water is occasionally
discouraged; Normally, the quality of the tap water in Israel is
impeccable, but in some regions the taste is not particularly pleasant,
and occasionally it also has a clear chlorine note. A little more
caution is advisable in the Palestinian autonomous areas, where there is
also a slightly increased risk of infection for some diseases.
You should never underestimate the sun - sufficient sun protection for
your head and skin is essential, especially in summer. If you don't
drink enough, there is a risk of dehydration, especially in the desert,
where you sweat a lot but notice it too late because of the dry air. The
ubiquitous air conditioners pose a certain health risk. In order to
prevent colds, it is advisable to take some light clothing (light
jacket, possibly socks or scarf) with you for public transport, museums,
restaurants, etc.
Poisonous animals
The only really common
venomous snake is the mostly grey, nocturnal Vipera palaestinae, which
lives primarily in oak forests. Their bite causes internal bleeding,
which is extremely painful and can lead to death. The administration of
an antiserum is necessary as soon as possible; the emergency departments
of the hospitals are prepared for the treatment.
Scorpion bites
are primarily painful. Especially if you spend the night in nature, you
should shake out your shoes in the morning and not carelessly reach
under stones or in piles of wood. Scorpios appreciate their warmth. In
2018, the nature park administration published a guide to the 21
indigenous scorpion species, three of which are poisonous.
Despite its small area, Israel does not have a uniform climate, there
are sometimes serious differences with small spatial distances. On the
one hand, this is due to the influence of the Mediterranean Sea, which
decreases from north to south, and, on the other hand, to the strong
differences in altitude within the country. While Mediterranean
conditions prevail in the northern part of the country, the climate
changes to a desert climate towards the south and south-east; beyond the
southern borders of the country, desert areas follow everywhere.
Seasons in Israel are similar to those in Central Europe, but with a
different character: the main seasons are summer (around May to
September) and winter (around November to March), with the summer months
being the more hostile to life. In summer, a general weather pattern
sets in that ensures that there is practically no rain between May and
October; the sun shines from the cloudless sky every day, in midsummer
it normally reaches a good thirty degrees during the day (regionally
also over 40°C). In winter the weather is changeable; there can also be
beautiful and comparatively warm days at this time of year, but there
are always thunderstorms and rain in between, and at higher altitudes
possibly sleet or snow. Under certain circumstances you have cold, wet,
cloudy weather for several days with temperatures around 10 degrees and
below. In poorly insulated houses with no central heating (central
heating is a rarity in Israel, in contrast to air conditioning, which
can also be used for makeshift heating) one can freeze severely at this
time of the year.
The two transition periods in spring and autumn are
relatively short, lasting only about six weeks. In the course of this
change, a weather situation can occur that causes a strong wind (the
so-called Chamsin or Scharav) to blow temporarily, which transports dry
and hot desert air to the region. During the Chamsin season, the annual
maximum temperatures are reached.
Spring is a good time to travel
when the landscape is still green and in full bloom; other good times to
travel are autumn and early and late summer.
In the general framework described, the climate within the country
shows significant regional differences.
In the strip along the
Mediterranean coast (up to a maximum width of 20 km), the influence of
the sea ensures a more temperate climate. In winter there are no frosts
here, there is a relatively large amount of rain. In summer the
temperatures don't rise quite as high and there is often a light breeze
from the sea, although the air is often very humid.
This climatic
region includes the Western Galilee and the Bay of Haifa, the Carmel
Coast at the foot of the Carmel Mountains, the Sharon Plain, the
Southern Coastal Plain and Tel Aviv.
The mountains between the
coastal strip and the Jordan Valley are relatively high, so the
influence of the sea is not so great here. In this region there is a lot
of rain in winter and also sleet or snow, it can get quite cold. Summer
is generally the most pleasant here, as the air is hot but dry. In the
evenings the air cools down considerably in summer; unlike in the
lower-lying parts of the country, you may need long pants or a sweater
to sit outside.
In this climatic region z. B. most of the Upper
Galilee, Lower Galilee, the area around Jerusalem and the western part
of the Palestinian West Bank.
The Jezreel plain lies at the
transition to the climate of the Jordan Valley; it is not as high as the
mountains, so temperatures are generally higher here; in summer it can
get quite hot. These climatic peculiarities are clearly expressed in the
northern and central Jordan Rift itself: It is so deep that the
temperatures are higher because of this alone; the prevailing westerly
wind also warms up as it descends from the higher elevations into the
Jordan Rift Valley, so that temperatures continue to rise. The result is
a very warm, oppressively humid climate in summer, and it hardly cools
down in the evenings either. The middle Jordan Rift in the area of the
Sea of Galilee and south of it is frost-free, here you can see banana
plantations more often (as on the coast).
In this climatic region z.
B. the Hule plain in the eastern Upper Galilee, the Sea of Galilee with
Tiberias, the Bet She'an valley and the north-eastern tip of Samaria.
The fourth major climatic region is the desert, which accounts for about
half of the country. The south consists of the Negev desert up to Be'er
Sheva; from there the desert area stretches north-east and merges at the
Dead Sea into the Judean desert, which extends in the southern Jordan
Rift valley into Samaria. In these areas there is hardly any
precipitation even in winter, in summer temperatures of over 40° can be
reached (on average ten degrees more than in the mountains). Due to
evaporation, the Dead Sea is muggy most of the time; in summer it hardly
cools down below 25 degrees at night, in winter night temperatures of
more than ten degrees are measured (while it can snow in the mountains,
20 kilometers away as the crow flies). In contrast, the air in large
parts of the Negev is dry with significant temperature differences
between day and night; it can get very cold there in winter.
In this
climatic region the Judean desert, the Israeli coast at the Dead Sea and
the Negev desert. Eilat, in the very south, is so dry and hot that you
can swim in the Red Sea all year round.
Finally, for the sake of
completeness, mention the Golan Heights annexed by Israel. This region
is relatively high, so it is also cooler in summer and there is a
relatively large amount of rain in winter. Then it can get cold here at
times, on the highest elevations of the northern Golan you can even ski
on the Hermon near Neve Ativ, in terms of amount of snow, technically
and in length the pistes cannot keep up with those in the Alps.
In Israel, numerous people of different religions and backgrounds
live together. In contrast to the German-speaking countries, religion
and recommendations from religious authorities are often still of great
importance. In all population groups, the spectrum ranges from strictly
religious to completely liberal. In this field of tension, it is
sometimes difficult for visitors to find the way to appropriate
behavior. As a guest in a country, you should not unnecessarily offend
or even provoke.
The following points should be heeded whenever
possible:
You shouldn't tell everyone what you think about the
conflict between Israel and the Palestinians; one can currently meet
someone who holds an extreme dissenting opinion. Irrespective of this,
one should briefly consider how the locals must feel when someone comes
from Europe and thinks they know better about everyday life in Israel
than the locals do.
Women should refrain from walking around in Arab
neighborhoods or in Arab markets (e.g. in Jerusalem's old town) in
provocatively skimpy clothing, as this increases the risk of ambiguous
shouts.
On the Shabbat one should take into account the religious
feelings of the Jewish - orthodox population, i.e. in strictly orthodox
residential areas e.g. For example, refrain from smoking in public and
driving in the neighborhood streets and refrain from taking photos at
the western wall.
In sacred buildings, one should pay attention
to the following points:
Basically, mini skirts and hot pants are
items of clothing that are unsuitable for visiting sacred buildings of
all religions. Short trousers or skirts should always reach above the
knees and the shoulders should be covered. If you wear more revealing
clothing, you have to be prepared not to be admitted to synagogues,
churches and mosques. Some of the supervisors here don't understand fun
at all. If you don't want to wear long pants all day, you can e.g. You
can use long pants or a blouse, for example, which you can take with you
and pull over your shorts if necessary.
In synagogues - and thus also
on the Western Wall in Jerusalem - as well as in Jewish cemeteries, the
head must be covered. In some places (in some of the big synagogues, on
the western wall or even in the memorial hall in Yad Vashem) men can
rent head coverings.
Shoes must be removed in mosques.
In
churches, men should remove their head coverings.
From 2007 bars and restaurants etc. had to set up separate, well-ventilated smoking areas, which were not allowed to take up more than a quarter of the area. Since September 2018, smoking (including e-cigarettes) has been banned in and in front of all types of publicly accessible buildings, including zoos, swimming pools, schools, etc. Smoking is also not permitted at events (including demonstrations) with 50 people or more outdoors. The fine for smokers is ₪1000.
There are still payphones in Israel, although coverage has decreased
in recent years due to heavy cell phone use. Some of these phones (e.g.
in shopping malls) work with coins, but usually you need calling cards
called "telecards".
Israel Post post offices are located in all
major cities. Queues are long and service is often criticized for being
slow. The Postbank also exchanges foreign currencies, but only US$,
euros and British pounds.
If you want to send postcards, you can
often get stamps where the cards are sold. A postcard or a letter up to
20 grams to Europe costs 7.40 ₪ by air mail in 2019 (overland ₪ 3.20),
some dealers charge too much. Postal delivery times from Israel to
German-speaking countries can vary considerably: in the best-case
scenario, postal items by airmail only take a week, but delivery times
of around two weeks are also possible.
Packages
A small
package (up to 2 kg) to Central Europe costs ₪ 51.60 by air mail in
2019, and only ₪ 28.30 by land. Israel Post also provides service to the
Palestinian Territories, but it takes much longer from/to here.
As of 2019, Israeli customs do not levy any duties on packages from
abroad with a value of goods up to US$ 75. If the value is less than US$
500, 17% import sales tax is due, only above this is additional duty
charged. In any case, the post office charges a handling fee of ₪ 35.
cellular
In 2019 there are eight mobile phone providers offering
a wide variety of packages. The cheapest for calls, valid for a few
days, cost 9 ₪, from 39 ₪ there are all-round packages with unlimited
free minutes/SMS and data packages. Post-paid contracts have a minimum
term of 36 months.
The operators and their websites are set up
differently for visitors (i.e. English-speaking customers). Cellcom is
the market leader; pelephones; Orange; HOT Mobile; Golan Telecom; Rami
Levy; 012 Mobile; YouPhone. The comparison also in terms of coverage
(map 2/3/4G) is worthwhile.
Cell phone numbers begin with 05...
All scams that occur in other countries with automated callback via
incoming SMS (“ping call”) and the like. occur.
You can buy
“kosher cell phones” in the country. These are limited in their
functionality. The venishmartem.com website offers internet access
filter options for religious fanatics.
Internet
Internet cafes
are widespread and can be found in almost every location. The price is
around 15 NIS per hour. Free WiFi access is available in most cafes,
hotels and B&Bs. All branches of "Aroma Espresso Bar," "Arcaffe,"
"McDonald's" and "Yellow" have free WiFi access. If it is not
immediately apparent, you can ask the staff for the access data.
Mobile Internet: For pure data access, mobile phone providers offer the
versions 1 GB, 3 GB, 5 GB (all three valid for 30 days), they cost e.g.
B. Orange 2019 or 59, 79 or 99 ₪. If you want to travel to Israel
several times, it is important to tell the seller that you want an
unlimited card (“sim card without expiry”). "Indefinite" here refers to
the possible use, any credit will expire anyway.
Projects have
been launched in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv to provide full city coverage
with free Wi-Fi; in Haifa and Eilat, free WiFi is already a reality on a
large scale. The automated logging into such networks by smartphones
makes it possible to draw much more precise motion pictures than is
possible via mobile phone cells - everyone has to decide for themselves
whether they want to use Google's location services, for example.
Israelis are very open to technological developments and often have no
problem giving apps access to their data. It should be noted that data
protection legislation in Israel lags behind European standards. Many
international companies, which e.g. Developing security and espionage
software for state surveillance agencies are based in Israel, and the
Israeli army sees the fight against cybercrime as one of its core tasks.
As a user, you have to assume that all data traffic is accessible to the
local state security organs.
Foreigners who need emergency assistance from their governments will
find most consulates in Tel Aviv. Many EU countries have liaison offices
in Ramallah that offer consular services for the occupied Palestinian
territories.
Disabled person
Many museums, city buses and
hotels are wheelchair accessible. The administration of the national
parks has set up specially suitable paths in most parks, which often
only cover the most important sights.
Yad Sarah (engl. ☎ 972 2
644-4633) is a volunteer organization that, similar to the German
Bahnhofsmission but more extensively, supports travelers with
disabilities. The services range from the provision of aids (crutches,
wheelchairs) against a deposit to accompaniment in resp. Preparation of
hotel rooms, etc. Regional centers sometimes provide day care or a
mobile dentist service.