Those of you who are Facebook friends with me might have seen my link to an article on Israel warning it's citizens to get out of the Sinai Peninsula immediately. This warning was based on credible evidence that Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, was planning on trying to kidnap Israeli citizens and take them to Gaza. There has been some trouble in the Sinai, but not since April 2006, when three bombs went off in Dahab, killing 23 and wounding 80, including some foreign nationals. Egypt has since cracked down, and from all the information I've read, and e-mail contact I've had with people in the Sinai, the situation appears to be pretty calm. That's good, because I would be really disappointed to have to abandon my plans to hike Mount Sinai. I was also looking forward to a couple of sunrises over the Red Sea while staying in Dahab, too. The Egypt part of the itinerary is right at the end of the trip, so if something happens I can always cancel it.
I've gotten a lot of questions and comments about security is Israel. The most common one is "That's not real safe, is it?" Most of the books and blogs I read, as well as the travelers who's opinion I trust, state with no reservations that traveling to Israel is safe. The fact is, and many Americans are in denial about this, we live in one of the most violent societies in the civilized world. I don't wish to underplay the security situation in Israel. They have the tightest security situation for good reason- most of their neighbors don't want them to exist at all. I'm nervous about the security situation only so far as it effects me, meaning the long delay at the airport going through security and at the border when I return from my excursion to Egypt. I readily accept that I will have my bags searched not just at these times, but also when entering shopping malls, market places, tourist sites, and some restaurants. I'm sure when driving in my rental car I'll have to stop at numerous roadblocks. This is just a fact in dealing with traveling to Israel. I accept that it is a possibility that my laptop maybe confiscated upon entering the country. I hope not, but it has been known to happen. While these things may be a hassle to some, knowing the measures are in place make me feel secure as well.
Now, as far as the crime situation, Israel's statistics are right on par with European standards, meaning pickpocketing in crowded areas, theft from cars, and theft at beaches. Knowing this, I'll be extra vigilant at these places. I also carry two PacSafes- a steel mesh netting that unfolds from a pouch about the size of a softball and covers my bags and locks to something stationary while they are in my hotel rooms or rental car. I don't have to worry about my bags at other times, since they will be with me- you don't leave bags unattended in Israel, EVER, or they might get blown up by Israeli security forces. Again, this might seem extreme, but one only needs to look at their situation and this becomes perfectly reasonable. Violent crime in Israel seems to be very isolated, as it is in Europe.
The final thing, security related, that I'm worried about is all the stories of Israeli driving habits. Some of the articles I've read make it sound horrifying- behaviors so extreme that it would be funny if I wasn't in a rental car for 12 days. I guess I'll just be really careful- I won't drive in cities, I'll practice defensive driving and generally won't put myself in uncomfortable situations- like driving in big cities. I do have to drive into Haifa, Tel Aviv, and Jerusalem, but I intend to park my car at the hotel and move around by foot and public transportation instead of driving all around as we tend to do in this country. I wanted a sense of adventure from this trip, and it sounds like I'm going to get it from my driving experiences.
It's a little under three weeks away. Most of the things I have to get done are done. I'm sure it's only going to get harder to focus on my daily life as the time approaches....
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