Quote:
Originally Posted by M.A.C.tastic
Are there good shops? Is it safe? How is the weather in august? Thanks so much for your help!!!
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I would have said avoid August travel ^.^;
Any time in the summer is a big tourist season for Israel and Jordan, the hotels are packed. It's the Middle East... it's going to be hot inland but better near the coast.
"Summers are very humid along the Mediterranean coast but dry in the central highlands, the Rift Valley, and the Negev Desert. In Eilat, the desert city, summer daytime-temperatures are often the highest in the state, at times reaching 44°C to 46°C (111°F to 115°F)."
I think that
WikiTravel best sums up the safety issues... and if you intend to travel to any other Middle Eastern countries
DO NOT let them stamp your passport (they can stamp a seperate paper instead), you will usually be denied entry to other countires in the ME if traveling under that same passport (countries like Jordan and Egypt, however, allow Israeli passport stamps):
In general, travel to Israel is safe, and most other crime rates are well below those found in most other Western Countries. Having said this, buses and bus-stops have unfortunately been the targets of suicide bombers since the early 1990s. This type of terrorist attack has all but ceased since 2005. Statistically, the chances of being involved in a traffic accident are much higher than the chances to be involved in a terrorist attack. However, the political condition is far from stable, and it is a good idea to stay informed of developments before and during your stay.
Caution should be used particularly in disputed areas. If you see anyone acting suspiciously, or find an untended parcel, notify the driver, a soldier or police officer immediately. Israeli national policy, however, is business as usual. The day after the November 2004 bomb in the Karmel market in Tel Aviv the market was full again. Life goes on.
In terms of typical crime, Israel is a very safe country. You can walk around the cities and towns at night without fear, as mugging and drunken violence is all but unknown. Single women should still take care late at night but the risks here are far lower than practically anywhere in Europe. Unlike in surrounding Middle Eastern countires, single women walking the streets or revealingly dressed, are not very likely to be harassed or hissed at.
Israel's relations with its neighbors should always be something that a traveler should be familiar with, as evidenced by the Israeli-Lebanese conflict of 2006. Despite the current cease fire there remains a low danger that the conflict will again erupt.
