Traveling to Israel may involve plenty of fears and concerns, and we can definitely understand why. With the country being surrounded by hostile countries, and having an ongoing conflict in the past 100 years with the Palestinians, Israel is certainly in a tense situation, that can very justifiably make you wonder: is Israel safe to visit? However, despite what you may hear in the international media, Israel is in fact a very safe country to visit compared to other developed nations. Here, we will try to answer all of your potential safety concerns, and help you stay safe and sound during your Israel trip.
Is Israel safe: risks and concerns
As locals who were born and raised here, and met many international travelers who came here, it’s important for us to say that Israel is objectively a very safe country, and a much safer place compared to the picture that is painted by media coverage from across the globe. Notably, in the OECD’s safety rankings, Israel got a high score of 8.5, ahead of countries like Canada, Germany, and even Japan, which just goes to show how safe it actually is.
However, as Israel is in a constant state of conflict, and does suffer from some safety issues that you won’t find very often in other developed countries, it is important to be aware of the current situation, and take some important safety measures.
A state of conflict
Since the 1920s, several decades before Israel was established in 1948, it’s in a constant state of conflict with the Palestinians. This complex situation doesn’t affect the day-to-day life in the country but can be felt in specific locations in Israel, and during military operations, that may occur for a few days every year or two.
Usually, during major military operations, a substantial amount of rockets is being fired at Israel from Gaza. Those are usually aimed at cities and towns near Gaza, such as Sderot, Netivot, and Ashkelon. However, sometimes they are also being aimed at Tel Aviv or even Jerusalem or Eilat.
Anyway, while traveling in Israel during an attack of rockets can be very frightening, it’s important to say that Israel has a very advanced system called Iron Dome, that intercepts those rockets at an almost 100% success rate. Thanks to the Iron Dome system, as well as the precautions taken by civilians, it’s extremely rare that civilians get physically harmed by rockets.
So, to make things clear, major rocket attacks only occur for a few days in a year at most, and usually in non-touristic areas. Additionally, even in those times, the odds of getting hurt are extremely low.
When it comes to conflict with the surrounding countries, the current situation is much better and more peaceful than in the past. Thanks to the peace treaties signed with Egypt in 1979, and with Jordan in 1994, there isn’t any major concern of hostile acts by the major neighbors of Israel. Regarding Lebanon and Syria, the borders have remained very quiet since 2006, with very rare hostile acts by the northern neighbors of Israel.
Terrorism
Unfortunately, terrorist attacks still occur from time to time in Israel, and the years 2022-2023 have seen more attacks than the past few years. While a terror attack is one of the most frightening and terrible things that can ever occur to anyone and a huge issue that the world is facing, it’s important to note that most terror attacks in Israel occur in very specific places, and don’t affect the day to day life in almost anywhere in the country.
In the past few years, almost all terror attacks in Israel have occurred in the West Bank, which is not an official part of the country. If you are interested in visiting this region in conflict, we would highly recommend doing so with an organized group, which will make sure to keep you safe.
Other than the West Bank, which is objectively more dangerous compared to other parts of the Land of Israel, some specific parts of Jerusalem may be more vulnerable to terrorism than other parts of the country. Those include the Old City of Jerusalem and other parts of Eastern Jerusalem. In any case, we would not recommend skipping visiting Jerusalem because of that, but just to be more aware of where you are going while visiting the incredible city.
Crime
Compared to other developed countries, the crime rate here is very low, making Israel a very safe country to visit in this regard. With an overall crime rate of less than half of countries such as Germany or England, there’s really not much to worry about when it comes to crime.
How to stay safe in Israel
While Israel is certainly much safer than most people think, it’s still important to be aware of some important precautions when traveling here. Here are our most important tips for staying safe in Israel.
Be aware of risky places to visit
When it comes to the tourist sites of Israel, they are all quite safe, and there isn’t any place that we recommend entirely avoiding due to safety concerns. However, there are some places that are a bit more dangerous than others.
As we mentioned before, two less safe places in Israel are the West Bank and Eastern Jerusalem. The best way to tour those areas safely, especially the West Bank, where you can visit sites like Herodium and Jericho, is with an organized group, which is always accompanied by an armed security guard.
When it comes to Eastern Jerusalem, the whole area of the Old City of Jerusalem is heavily guarded at all times. However, while touring the magnificent old city, it’s important to just keep your awareness high, and avoid areas that seem less safe.
Pay attention to religious holidays
Usually, religious holidays might be more tense than normal days in Israel, especially in Jerusalem. It shouldn’t affect your plans in a major way, but it’s important to be aware that places like the Al-Aqsa Mosque can get tense during Jewish and Muslim holidays. For that reason, we would recommend avoiding visiting the Temple Mount itself during holidays.
Careful of what you photograph
To avoid unnecessary tension and conflicts, it’s important to be aware of specific photography restrictions during your Israel trip. During your visit, it’s very important to avoid taking pictures of soldiers, policemen, and army bases of any kind. In addition, we would recommend to be sensitive about taking pictures of strangers, especially in Muslim and Jewish Orthodox parts of the country.
Is Israel safe for solo female travelers?
As we mentioned before, as the crime rate in Israel is very low, Israel is a very safe country for solo travel and is very suitable for female solo travelers as well. The open-minded and friendly people of Israel can make a solo trip a very unique and comfortable experience, as you will always find someone to help and support you here.
However, as in most countries, there are still a few things that are important to keep in mind. First, the Israeli culture is more aggressive and social than most other developed countries. While there are many good sides to that, sometimes people can be a bit too aggressive, or too flirty, especially at parties in Tel Aviv. If it ever happens, just always remember that for every person who is too aggressive, there are always ten other people who would be super happy to help you deal with the situation, so you can always ask for help.
Other than that, it’s important to be aware of the public transportation schedule, and the effects of weekends and public holidays on transportation in Israel. In addition, we would recommend to follow the dress code in specific locations in Israel, to avoid tension from locals.
