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The Old City of Jerusalem seen from the Mount of Olives at dawn, the Dome of the Rock rising gold above the ancient walls, Israel
High Risk — Ongoing Regional Conflict · Check Current Advisory · Extraordinary Destination
🇮🇱

Travelling to
Israel

Israel contains Jerusalem — one of the most complex, layered, and significant cities on earth, where three of the world's major religions converge on a few hundred acres of ancient stone. It has Tel Aviv's beach culture, the Galilee's biblical landscape, and the Dead Sea at the lowest point on the planet. Since October 2023, it has also been in an active regional conflict that has fundamentally changed the security calculus for visitors. Both the destination and the risk are real. Read this guide with both in mind.

🔴 Risk: High
🏛️ Capital: Jerusalem (contested)
💱 Currency: New Israeli Shekel (ILS)
🗣️ Languages: Hebrew, Arabic
📅 Updated: Apr 2026
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Check Your Government's Current Advisory Before Every Trip
The security situation in Israel and the surrounding region changed fundamentally after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks from Gaza and the subsequent conflict. Most Western governments maintain elevated advisories for Israel as a whole and "do not travel" advisories for areas near the Gaza border and parts of the north. The situation has been dynamic — ceasefires negotiated and broken, northern front with Lebanon opened and partially closed, Houthi missile attacks from Yemen affecting civilian aviation. What is true at the time this guide was written may not be true the week you are travelling. Check your government's current advisory, broken down by specific region, within the week before departure. This guide documents Israel as a destination and documents the risks as factually as possible. It does not and cannot substitute for current official guidance.
Understanding Israel in 2026

What You're Actually Dealing With

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The Security Picture by Region
Israel's security situation varies significantly by location. The Gaza border envelope — communities within roughly 40km of Gaza — has been designated a no-go zone. The northern border with Lebanon has experienced active conflict and intermittent closure of communities. Central Israel including Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea region, and the Negev has remained accessible to tourists, though all areas experience rocket alerts requiring immediate movement to shelters. The West Bank (Palestinian Authority areas) has separate and complex risk dynamics. Check current specific regional advisories before planning any route.
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Israel's Civil Defence System
Israel has one of the most developed civilian warning and shelter systems in the world. The Red Alert app (Tzeva Adom) broadcasts rocket warnings by location. Every building by law must have a mamad (reinforced safe room) or access to a shelter within 90 seconds. The Iron Dome air defence system intercepts a significant percentage of incoming rockets. Understanding these systems before you arrive significantly reduces anxiety and improves your ability to respond appropriately when alerts occur. Download the Red Alert app before landing.
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Currency and Costs
Israel uses the New Israeli Shekel (ILS). It is an expensive country -- broadly comparable to Western Europe. A sit-down meal in Tel Aviv costs ₪80-150. A coffee in Jerusalem ₪18-26. Accommodation in Tel Aviv runs ₪500-1,200 per night for mid-range options. Cards are accepted virtually everywhere. Always pay in shekels to avoid dynamic currency conversion markup. ATMs are widely available throughout the country. There is no cash-only constraint as in Iran.
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Flights and Entry
Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) near Tel Aviv is the main entry point. Flights have been suspended and reinstated multiple times since October 2023 -- verify that your carrier is currently operating the route and has refund policies appropriate for the destination's risk profile. Most citizens of Western countries enter visa-free for 90 days. Israel does not stamp passports -- you receive a separate entry card, which since 2013 has resolved most of the cross-border entry complications with Arab countries. Security screening at Israeli airports is the most thorough in the world and takes significantly more time than other airports.
Know the Risks

The Risks That Actually Catch People

Israel's risk profile since October 2023 is predominantly security-based. The conventional tourist scams that existed before the conflict remain but are secondary to the security considerations that any visitor must understand.

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Rocket Alerts and Security Incidents
All of Israel — concentrated near Gaza, Lebanon, and Jordan River Valley
Most Serious Risk — Active and Ongoing

Rocket and missile attacks from Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen have affected all parts of Israel since October 2023. Tel Aviv has received alerts. Jerusalem has received alerts. The southern and northern regions have received far more. The Israeli civilian defence system handles this, but handling it means you must respond quickly to alerts, reach shelter within 90 seconds, and wait for the all-clear. This is the reality of visiting Israel in the current period and is not something that can be planned around or avoided -- it can happen anywhere, at any time.

How to manage it
  • Download the Red Alert Israel app (Tzeva Adom) before landing. Enable notifications. It broadcasts alerts by location with enough warning to reach shelter in most cases.
  • On arrival, identify the nearest shelter to your accommodation. Ask your hotel where the mamad (safe room) or nearest public shelter is — they will tell you immediately and without drama.
  • When an alert sounds: stop what you are doing immediately, move to the nearest shelter or protected internal room, lie flat if outside with no shelter available, and wait for the all-clear tone before moving.
  • Do not travel to areas within 40km of the Gaza border or areas on the Lebanese border that are currently under evacuation orders regardless of what has been reported recently.
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Taxi Overcharging
Ben Gurion Airport · Jerusalem Old City taxi rank · tourist hotel areas
Medium Risk — Conventional Tourist Issue

Israeli taxis are metered (מונה — moneh) and drivers are legally required to run the meter. Despite this, overcharging is documented at Ben Gurion Airport arrivals and at Jerusalem tourist sites, primarily through refusing to run the meter and quoting inflated flat rates. The airport to Tel Aviv should cost ₪150-200 by metered cab. The Ben Gurion Express train from the airport directly to Tel Aviv costs ₪20-35 and takes 20-30 minutes, making it the better option for central Tel Aviv accommodation.

How to handle it
  • Gett and Yango are the main ride-hailing apps in Israel with upfront pricing. Both operate from Ben Gurion Airport pickup zones and eliminate meter negotiation entirely.
  • The Ben Gurion Express (direct rail to Tel Aviv Savidor/Merkaz station) is the best value airport connection for central Tel Aviv. Operates throughout the day except Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday night).
  • In Jerusalem, ask hotels to arrange transport or use the Gett app rather than negotiating at the rank outside the Old City gates.
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Old City Jerusalem Guides and Commission Shops
Damascus Gate · Jaffa Gate · Via Dolorosa · Muslim Quarter souk
Medium Risk

Jerusalem's Old City is one of the most complex square kilometres of real estate on earth, and its tourism economy has a well-developed commission-shop infrastructure. Unofficial guides near the gates offer to show you the Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre, or the Muslim Quarter, and the route ends at shops that pay commission. Separately, shopkeepers in the Christian Quarter souk sometimes approach pilgrims with "special religious discount" offers on olive wood, religious objects, and jewellery that are inflated regardless of the claimed discount.

How to handle it
  • Book licensed guides through your hotel or the Ministry of Tourism's licensed guide registry. Licensed guides wear official badges and don't rely on commissions.
  • The Old City is highly navigable without a guide using a downloaded offline map -- it's small enough that getting properly lost is part of the experience rather than a problem.
  • Genuine religious objects (olive wood, ceramics, Armenian pottery) are legitimately available in the souk at negotiated prices. The price is always more flexible than the opening ask suggests.
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Dynamic Currency Conversion
Tourist restaurants · souvenir shops · hotels throughout Israel
Low Risk — Worth Knowing

Many tourist-facing businesses and card payment terminals in Israel offer to charge in your home currency rather than shekels. This dynamic currency conversion typically applies an exchange rate 3-7% worse than your bank's rate, plus sometimes an additional fee. The option is presented as a convenience but always costs more than paying in shekels. It is legal and disclosed but is structured to catch visitors who don't notice the offer.

How to handle it
  • When a card terminal asks "Pay in [your currency] or Israeli Shekel?" — always choose Israeli Shekel.
  • The same principle applies when exchanging cash: USD/EUR to ILS at a licensed exchange is always better than USD/EUR at an airport counter converting to ILS.
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West Bank Access Complexity
Ramallah · Bethlehem · Jericho · Hebron · other West Bank cities
Medium Risk — Complex Logistics

The West Bank (Palestinian Authority-administered areas) is a separate entity from Israel with its own entry dynamics, though most visitors enter and exit via Israeli-controlled checkpoints. Since October 2023, the security situation in parts of the West Bank has deteriorated with increased Israeli military operations and settler violence incidents in certain areas. Bethlehem (Church of the Nativity) remains accessible via the Checkpoint 300 crossing from Jerusalem. Jericho is generally accessible. Parts of the West Bank require current security assessment before visiting.

How to handle it
  • Check your government's West Bank specific advisory separately from the Israel advisory -- the two have different risk levels.
  • For Bethlehem visits from Jerusalem, licensed tour operators who specialise in this crossing know the current queue times and checkpoint procedures. The crossing itself is straightforward but can have waits.
  • Do not drive a rental car from Israel into the West Bank without explicitly confirming with the rental company that the car is insured there -- most standard rental agreements exclude West Bank coverage.
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Flight Disruption and Cancellation Risk
Ben Gurion Airport · routes from European and North American hubs
Medium Risk — Financial Consideration

Since October 2023, multiple airlines have suspended and resumed Israel services multiple times. Ben Gurion Airport has closed temporarily during serious security incidents. The risk of your flight being cancelled or suspended at short notice is significantly higher for Israel than for almost any other tourist destination. Non-refundable pre-booked accommodation and tours create real financial exposure if your flight is suspended.

How to handle it
  • Buy comprehensive travel insurance that explicitly covers cancellation due to conflict or security situations -- check the exclusions carefully as some policies have specific carve-outs for conflict zones.
  • Book refundable accommodation and flexible-cancellation tours wherever possible, accepting the premium as a real cost of visiting an elevated-risk destination.
  • Check your airline's current Israel cancellation policy before booking and confirm they are actively operating the route, not just offering future tickets.
Where Things Stand

The Destinations — An Honest Assessment

The destinations below reflect the situation as understood at the time of writing. The security situation continues to evolve and what is accessible changes. Each section notes current accessibility caveats but these must be verified against current advisories before travel.

Jerusalem Medium-High Risk — Accessible with Precautions

Jerusalem is one of the most contested and most extraordinary cities on earth. The Old City -- 0.9 square kilometres inside walls built by Suleiman the Magnificent in the 16th century on foundations going back 3,000 years -- contains the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (where Christians believe Jesus was crucified and buried), the Western Wall (the holiest site in Judaism where the Second Temple stood), and the Temple Mount with the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque (Islam's third holiest site). All of this shares the same ancient streets, separated by gates and security barriers and centuries of contested claim. The complexity and intensity of Jerusalem -- the simultaneous coexistence of multiple civilisations at maximum sincerity -- is unlike anywhere else on earth. It requires time, patience, and genuine curiosity to experience rather than consume.

  • Temple Mount access for non-Muslims: open limited hours Sunday to Thursday (closed Friday and Saturday), with strict dress code and security screening -- check current access rules as they change frequently with the security situation
  • The Western Wall tunnel tour beneath the current ground level reveals the full height of the original Herodian wall and requires advance booking online -- the most specifically extraordinary underground archaeology in the city
  • Armenian Quarter pottery and Christian Quarter olive wood from established shops (not from touts at the gate) are the genuine craft purchases worth making
  • The East Jerusalem Palestinian market around Damascus Gate has the best fresh fruit, spices, and street food in the city at the lowest prices -- open daily and entirely safe during stable periods
Tel Aviv Medium Risk — Accessible with Precautions

Tel Aviv is a city that exists in almost deliberate contrast to Jerusalem -- modern, secular, beach-facing, and aggressively contemporary. The White City of Bauhaus architecture on Rothschild Boulevard and the surrounding streets is a UNESCO World Heritage Site -- 4,000 buildings constructed in the International Style by Jewish architects who fled Europe in the 1930s, creating the most concentrated collection of Bauhaus architecture in the world. The Carmel Market (Shuk HaCarmel) on Tuesday and Friday mornings is the best food market in the city. Florentin, the neighbourhood south of Carmel Market, is the street art and independent restaurant quarter. Jaffa (Yafo), the ancient port city that predates Tel Aviv by millennia, is now an arts district with galleries, restaurants, and a fleamarket on Saturdays that is one of the best in the Middle East.

  • The Ben Gurion Express train from the airport to Savidor/Merkaz station is the best airport connection -- ₪20-35, 20-30 minutes, no traffic
  • Tel Aviv's beach is genuinely excellent and free -- Gordon Beach and Frishman Beach are the most central; Hilton Beach (north of Gordon) is specifically the gay beach and explicitly welcoming
  • The Carmel Market is best entered from the HaCarmel Street end -- the deeper you go into the market, the lower the tourist markup relative to the front stalls
  • Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday night) closes most shops and restaurants in Jerusalem but Tel Aviv largely ignores it -- one of the more visible expressions of the cultural gap between the two cities
The Dead Sea and Masada Medium Risk — Currently Accessible

The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth (430 metres below sea level) and so salty you cannot sink in it -- the buoyancy is extraordinary and specific in a way that no description prepares you for. The shore along Ein Bokek has developed resort infrastructure (hotels with private beach access) alongside public beach areas. Masada, the fortress-palace built by Herod the Great on a mesa 450 metres above the Dead Sea, where 960 Jewish Zealots held out against the Roman army for years before the siege concluded in 73 AD, is one of Israel's most significant archaeological sites and one of the most dramatically sited in the Middle East. The Snake Path hike up takes 45-90 minutes; the cable car takes 3 minutes and has shorter queues in early morning.

  • Dead Sea: bring old swimwear (the minerals stain), do not shave or wax for 24 hours before swimming (the salt is intense on broken skin), and rinse thoroughly after -- the mineral residue on skin is what the spa industry sells at extreme markup
  • Masada sunrise is the iconic approach -- the Snake Path hike begins in darkness and arrives at the summit as the sun rises over Jordan across the Dead Sea. The crowds are present even at sunrise; arrive before 5am
  • The Dead Sea is receding at roughly 1 metre per year -- sinkholes have appeared in some shoreline areas. Use established resort beaches rather than exploring remote shoreline
  • Ein Gedi Nature Reserve between the Dead Sea and Masada has year-round waterfalls with ibex and hyrax -- a 2-hour detour that rewards the effort
The Galilee and North High Risk — Check Current Status Before Visiting

The Galilee region -- the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Tiberias, Safed, and the national parks of the north -- was significantly affected by the 2023-2024 conflict with Lebanon and many communities were evacuated. The status of the northern region changes with the security situation and must be verified immediately before any visit. When accessible, the Galilee is one of Israel's most beautiful regions: the Sea of Galilee at Capernaum, where Jesus's ministry was based, with remains of a 1st-century synagogue and house believed to be Peter's; Safed (Tzfat) high in the hills with its 16th-century Kabbalistic tradition and artists' quarter; the Golan Heights with views to Syria across the plateau.

  • Check current government advisory for northern Israel specifically before planning any visit -- many communities were under evacuation orders and the situation changes with the security situation
  • Nazareth's Arab old city is accessible and the Basilica of the Annunciation (built over the site traditionally identified as Mary's home) is the largest church in the Middle East
  • The Golan Heights plateau requires current security assessment given proximity to the Syrian border
Haifa and the Carmel Coast Medium Risk — Accessible with Precautions

Haifa is Israel's third city, a port town built on the slopes of Mount Carmel with a long tradition of Jewish-Arab coexistence that makes it the most socially integrated city in Israel. The Bahá'í World Centre -- the global headquarters of the Bahá'í Faith, with the gold-domed Shrine of the Báb at its centre and terraced Persian gardens descending to the Mediterranean -- is the most striking single structure in northern Israel and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The German Colony neighbourhood below the gardens has the best café culture in Haifa and some of the best food. Caesarea, 40km south on the coast, has extraordinary Roman-era ruins including a 2,000-seat amphitheatre still used for concerts, Herod's harbour, and a Crusader-era fortification all within the same national park.

  • The Bahá'í Gardens are free to visit on a guided tour (mandatory inside the gardens); book online in advance as capacity is limited and the modestly priced tours sell out
  • Haifa's Wadi Nisnas neighbourhood on the lower slopes has the most authentic Arab street food in the city -- shawarma, falafel, and knafeh at the Friday market
  • Caesarea's amphitheatre concert season runs May-October; check the programme if your dates align -- watching a performance in a 2,000-year-old Roman theatre on the Mediterranean is the specific Caesarea experience
The Negev Desert Medium Risk — Currently Accessible

The Negev occupies more than half of Israel's land area and is largely empty. The Ramon Crater (Makhtesh Ramon) near Mitzpe Ramon is not a meteor crater but an erosion crater -- a geological formation unique to the Negev -- 40km long, 8km wide, and 500 metres deep, exposing 200 million years of geological strata in a single cross-section. The night sky above it is extraordinary -- Mitzpe Ramon has no light pollution and the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye most clear nights. Petra in Jordan is 90km from Eilat and accessible for a day trip via the Yitzhak Rabin border crossing, which has functioned throughout the conflict period. Eilat's Red Sea diving and snorkelling is the best available at any Israeli destination.

  • Mitzpe Ramon's Ramon Crater can be hiked from the rim viewpoint (free) or explored more deeply with a guide from the visitor centre -- a full day walk covers the crater floor with proper preparation
  • The Eilat-Aqaba border crossing to Jordan for Petra day trips: confirm current operation before planning as border crossings can close at short notice in the current security environment
  • Eilat's diving: Aqua Sport and Manta Diving Centre are the established operators with good safety records on the Red Sea reef
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Locals Know: Shabbat
Shabbat -- the Jewish Sabbath -- runs from Friday sunset to Saturday night, and understanding it changes how you navigate Israel entirely. In Jerusalem and most religious communities, businesses close, transport largely stops, and the city becomes something genuinely different: quieter, more intimate, with families walking and the streets clearing by late Friday afternoon in ways that reveal the architecture of the city rather than its commerce. In Tel Aviv, Shabbat is considerably less observed -- restaurants stay open, beaches fill, and the secular city goes about its weekend normally. The division between these two Shabbat experiences is one of the most specific things about Israeli society. For visitors: the Ben Gurion Express train stops for Shabbat (you'll need a taxi or shared sherut taxi on Saturday), many Jerusalem restaurants are closed Friday night and Saturday, and some museums have weekend-specific hours. Plan for this rather than being surprised by it -- the Friday evening quiet in Jerusalem's Old City, the streets empty of commerce and full of families walking to synagogue, is one of the most atmospheric things the city offers.
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Photography and Security Sensitivity
Photography restrictions in Israel are real and enforced. Military installations, security barriers, checkpoints, and uniformed soldiers should not be photographed without permission. This applies at the airport, at the borders, at West Bank checkpoints, and near military bases. Photography inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and some other religious sites is restricted during services -- follow posted signs and the lead of other visitors. At the Western Wall, photography on Shabbat is discouraged in the men's section (Friday sunset to Saturday night) -- the women's section has different traditions. At the Temple Mount, when accessible, photography is permitted in the courtyards but not during prayer times in the Al-Aqsa Mosque itself. Ask before pointing a camera at anything that seems potentially sensitive -- in Israel, a clear question gets a clear answer.
The Short Version

Before You Go — The Checklist

  • ✓ Check your government's current Israel advisory broken down by region, within the week before departure. The security situation changes faster than any guide.
  • ✓ Download the Red Alert Israel (Tzeva Adom) app before landing and enable notifications. On arrival, locate the nearest shelter to your accommodation.
  • ✓ Buy travel insurance that explicitly covers cancellation due to conflict or security situations. Check exclusions before purchasing.
  • ✓ Book refundable accommodation and flexible-cancellation tours. The premium is the real cost of visiting a conflict-adjacent destination.
  • ✓ Use the Gett app for taxis and the Ben Gurion Express train for airport-to-Tel Aviv. Do not try to negotiate metered taxis at the airport.
  • ✓ Always pay in shekels, not your home currency, when offered the choice at card payment terminals.
  • ✓ Do not drive a rental car into the West Bank without confirming insurance coverage with the rental company.
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One Honest Opinion on Eating in Israel
Israeli food is among the best in the Middle East and has been for longer than the international recognition of Israeli cuisine would suggest. The hummus debate -- who makes the best, whose tradition it belongs to -- is an ongoing and genuine cultural conversation that will not be resolved here, but the best hummus you'll eat will be at a small Arab-owned restaurant in Akko (Abu Christo's on the old harbour) or at one of the long-established hummus houses in Jaffa or Arab East Jerusalem, where the bowl arrives warm with olive oil and a soft-boiled egg and nothing more is needed. Tel Aviv's food culture is extraordinary: Levantine, Mediterranean, and contemporary Israeli all coexist in Florentin's restaurants and the Carmel Market's food stalls. Shakshuka (eggs poached in spiced tomato sauce) at Dr Shakshuka's in Jaffa. Malabi (rosewater milk pudding with pomegranate) from the Carmel Market's last stall on the left heading south. Burekas (cheese or potato-filled pastry) from any Jerusalem bakery at 7am for ₪8. Knafeh -- the shredded pastry and white cheese dessert soaked in sugar syrup, specific to the region's Arab tradition -- at Jafar Sweets in Akko or from any good Arab pastry shop. The food does not divide neatly along political lines. It reflects the reality of a region that has been trading, cooking, and eating together, imperfectly and under pressure, for several thousand years.
Planning tools for Israel

Book Smart — Israel Requires Flexible Preparation

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Booking.com
Hotels in Israel
Book fully refundable rates wherever possible. Tel Aviv's Florentin and Neve Tzedek neighbourhoods give the best access to local life. In Jerusalem, the German Colony and Rehavia are the most pleasant residential bases outside the Old City. Dead Sea resort hotels include private beach access in the rate -- useful context for the price comparison.
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GetYourGuide
Israel Tours
Licensed guides for Jerusalem Old City, Western Wall tunnel, Masada and Dead Sea, Bethlehem day trips from Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv White City architecture walks. Booking through licensed operators with cancellation policies appropriate for the security situation is strongly recommended over cash deals with street guides.
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Aviasales
Flights to Israel
Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) near Tel Aviv is the only significant international entry point. Confirm your carrier is actively operating the route -- multiple airlines have suspended and resumed services since 2023. Buy refundable tickets or tickets with clear cancellation policies. EL AL, Wizz Air, and regional carriers including Turkish Airlines and Emirates have been among the more consistently operational.
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GetRentacar.com
Car Hire in Israel
A rental car is useful for the Dead Sea, Masada, the Negev, and the Galilee (when accessible). Confirm explicitly whether the insurance covers West Bank driving -- most standard policies do not. Israeli roads are generally good quality. Driving in Jerusalem's Old City area is not recommended. Navigation apps work well throughout Israel.
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If Things Go Wrong

Emergency Numbers

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Police Emergency
100
Israeli Police — also reachable via 112 (pan-European/international emergency number)
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Ambulance (Magen David Adom)
101
Israeli Red Cross equivalent — one of the most capable emergency medical services in the Middle East
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Red Alert App
Tzeva Adom App
Download before landing. Enable notifications. Broadcasts rocket alerts by location with shelter instructions
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Fire Service
102
Israeli Fire and Rescue Services
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UK Embassy Tel Aviv
+972 3 725 1222
192 HaYarkon Street, Tel Aviv — emergency out-of-hours available on the same number
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US Embassy Jerusalem
+972 2 630 4000
14 David Flusser Street, Jerusalem — the US Embassy relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 2018
Common Questions

Israel — FAQ

Jerusalem has experienced rocket alerts since October 2023, including alerts for the city itself during periods of escalation. The Iron Dome has intercepted most threats. The city has continued to function -- residents and some visitors have continued their lives with the background of regular shelter drills and occasional real alerts. Most Western governments have maintained Jerusalem as an elevated-risk but not prohibited destination, while advising against areas within 40km of Gaza. The practical question for a visitor is not just whether something will happen (the risk is real and non-zero) but whether you have understood the shelter protocols, downloaded the alert app, located your nearest shelter, and have a clear plan for what to do if an alert sounds. Israel's civil defence system is sophisticated and its population has been living with this level of threat management for decades. A visitor who understands the system is better equipped than one who doesn't. Jerusalem is one of the most significant places in the world. The decision to visit it in a period of elevated risk is personal and should be made with current information rather than either dismissal or excessive fear.
The Western Wall (HaKotel) is open to all visitors and has no religious restriction on entry -- people of all backgrounds visit and many leave notes in the wall's crevices. The wall is divided into men's and women's sections with a barrier between them. Photography is discouraged in the men's section on Shabbat (Friday sunset to Saturday night). The Western Wall Tunnels beneath the current ground level require advance booking and are one of the most significant archaeological experiences in the country -- they reveal the full 15-metre height of the original Herodian wall that the current above-ground section represents only the top few metres of. Temple Mount (Har HaBayit / Al-Haram al-Sharif) is accessible to non-Muslims through the Mughrabi Gate -- the sole non-Muslim entry point -- during limited hours on Sunday through Thursday (not Friday or Saturday). Dress code requirements are strict (arms and legs covered, shoes removed at the mosques). Non-Muslims cannot enter the Dome of the Rock interior or Al-Aqsa Mosque. Access hours change frequently with the security situation and sometimes Temple Mount is closed entirely to non-Muslims for days or weeks at a time. Check the day before rather than assuming access is available.
Bethlehem is 10km south of Jerusalem and accessible via Checkpoint 300, one of the main crossing points between Israel and the Palestinian Authority-administered West Bank. The crossing itself is straightforward for holders of Western passports -- you present your passport, pass through the checkpoint, and are in Palestinian Authority territory. The Church of the Nativity, built over the site traditionally identified as Jesus's birthplace, is in Manger Square and is one of the oldest continuously operating churches in the world (parts date to the 4th century). The old town market, the Banksy artworks on the separation barrier, and the Walled Off Hotel (also Banksy) are the other Bethlehem anchors. Since October 2023, some West Bank areas have seen increased violence including settler attacks on Palestinian communities and increased Israeli military operations. Bethlehem itself has been generally accessible throughout but check current conditions before visiting. Do not bring your rental car across the checkpoint without first confirming your insurance covers it -- most standard Israeli rental agreements explicitly exclude West Bank coverage and the car will be uninsured if you cross without the specific add-on.
Israel's airport security at Ben Gurion is widely considered the most thorough in the world. It operates on profiling and conversation rather than solely on technology. When you arrive at the airport (either departing or arriving), you will be asked a series of questions -- where you stayed, why you came, who you met, whether you packed your own bag, whether anyone gave you anything to carry. For most tourists these questions take 5-10 minutes and are polite. For some visitors -- particularly those who have recently been in Arab countries, have Arabic names, are travelling alone on a one-way ticket, or fit certain patterns -- the questioning may be extended and include bag searches, laptop searches, and more detailed interviews. This is legal, is documented, and disproportionately affects Arab visitors and Arab-background travellers including those with Western passports. If you have stamps from Iran, Syria, Lebanon, or Iraq in your passport you will receive significantly more attention. The practical advice: arrive at the airport 3 hours before international departure, answer questions directly and honestly, and carry documentation of your accommodation and itinerary. The security questioning is not randomly distributed and acknowledging this is part of understanding what Israel is.