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Israel, the West Bank and Gaza
Country Specific Information
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April 24, 2013

COUNTRY DESCRIPTION: The State of Israel is a parliamentary democracy with a modern economy. Following the 1967 War, Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights, and East Jerusalem. In 1994 negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians led to the creation of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The resulting division of responsibilities and jurisdictions between Israel and the PA in the West Bank is complex and subject to change. PA security forces are responsible for keeping order in those areas where the PA exercises security functions. Hamas, a U.S.-designated terrorist organization, took control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 and exercises de facto control there. Tourist facilities are widely available with certain exceptions, particularly in Gaza. Travelers may visit the websites of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism and the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism for tourist information. Read the Department of State Fact Sheet on Israel for additional information. Information about embassies and consulates in surrounding countries is available at the Department of State’s list of embassies and consulates. Official guidance on entry, customs requirements, arrests, and other matters in the West Bank and Gaza is subject to change without prior notice.

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SMART TRAVELER ENROLLMENT PROGRAM (STEP) / EMBASSY/CONSULATE LOCATION: If you are going to visit or live in Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza, please tell our embassy and/or consulate about your trip by enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). If you enroll, we can e-mail you important safety and security announcements. It will also help your friends and family get in touch with you in an emergency.

TEL AVIV: The U.S. Embassy is located at 71 Hayarkon Street in Tel Aviv.The U.S. mailing address is 9700 Tel Aviv Place, Washington, DC 20521-9700. The telephone number is (972) (3) 519-7575, Monday through Friday. The after-hours emergency number on weekends and from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. local time on weekdays is (972) (3) 519-7551. The fax number is (972) (3) 516-4390, or 516-0315. The Embassy can be contacted by e-mail.

Contact the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy for information and assistance in Israel and the Golan Heights, at the ports of entry at Ben Gurion Airport, Haifa Port, the northern (Shaykh Hussein) and southern (Arava) border crossings connecting Israel and Jordan, and the border crossings between Israel and Egypt.

The Embassy also has a consular agent in Haifa at 26 Ben Gurion Boulevard, telephone (972) (4) 853-1470. The consular agent can provide both routine and emergency citizen services in the northern part of Israel. After normal working hours you can contact him via the Embassy.

JERUSALEM: The Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem is located at 14 David Flusser, Jerusalem 93392 (near the former Diplomat Hotel, now the Caprice Diamond Center, in the neighborhood of Arnona). The U.S. mailing address is 6350 Jerusalem Place, Washington, DC 20521-6350. The Consular Section's public telephone number for information and assistance is (972) (2)630-4000, Monday through Friday. The after-hours emergency number on weekends and from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. local time on weekdays is (972) (2) 622-7230. The Consular Section's fax number is (972) (2) 630-4070. You may also contact the Consulate by e-mail.

Contact the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for information and assistance in Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Allenby Bridge crossing between the West Bank and Jordan.

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ENTRY / EXIT REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. CITIZENS: The general entry and exit requirements for U.S. citizens traveling to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza are listed below. The U.S. government seeks equal treatment and freedom to travel for all U.S. citizens regardless of national origin or ethnicity. U.S. citizens who encounter difficulties are encouraged to contact the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv or the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem by e-mail or at the numbers above. However, Israeli-American nationals are treated as Israelis at the port of entry and U.S. citizens who may be Palestinian Authority (PA) dual nationals are treated as PA nationals at the port of entry. 

Security Screening: U.S. citizens are advised that all persons entering or departing Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza are subject to security screening and may be denied entry or exit without explanation. U.S. citizen visitors have been subjected to prolonged questioning and physical searches and have been denied access to consular officers, lawyers, and family members.

Despite the legality of missionary activities, the Ministry of Interior has cited proselytism as a reason to deny entry into Israel. Members of religious groups have been monitored, arrested, and deported based on complaints that they have engaged in unauthorized missionary work. U.S. citizens suspected of being participants in planned protest activities are also frequently denied entry.

Anyone indicating at a port of entry that he or she has connections to the West Bank or plans to travel to the West Bank may be given an entry stamp that permits travel only in the West Bank. This stamp does not permit such travelers to enter Jerusalem or Israel. Travelers who have received such a stamp may file an appeal with the Israeli military's district coordination offices in the West Bank, but appeals are rarely approved.

Those with extensive travel to Muslim countries or U.S. citizens whom Israeli authorities suspect of being of Arab, Middle Eastern, or Muslim origin may also face additional questioning by immigration and border authorities, particularly if they ask that Israeli stamps not be entered into their passport. U.S. citizens of similar background who are suspected of wishing to enter those areas deemed prohibited to them by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) are requested by the MOI to sign a standard agreement. This agreement stipulates that they will refrain from entering those prohibited areas. 

Video cameras and other electronic items must be declared upon entry to Israel. Travelers carrying such audio-visual or data storage/processing equipment report additional security-related delays, and some have had their laptop computers and other electronic equipment searched at Ben Gurion Airport. While most items are returned prior to the traveler's departure, some equipment has been retained by the authorities for lengthy periods and has reportedly been damaged, destroyed, lost, or never returned. U.S. citizens who have had personal property damaged due to security procedures at Ben Gurion may contact the Commissioner for Public Complaints at the airport for redress by fax to 972-3-9752387. Israeli security officials have also on occasion requested access to travelers' personal e-mail accounts or other social media accounts as a condition of entry. In such circumstances, travelers should have no expectation of privacy for any data stored on such devices or in their accounts. Audio-visual/IT equipment may also be confiscated for security reasons. Such property will not be returned to the traveler. There is no redress for such confiscations.

U.S. citizens who feel they have been wrongly denied entry to Israel or the West Bank or have been treated unfairly may contact the American Citizen Services (ACS) unit of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem or the ACS unit of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv.

Israeli-Americans: Israeli citizens naturalized in the United States retain their Israeli citizenship, and children born in the United States to Israeli parents usually acquire both U.S. and Israeli nationality at birth. Israeli citizens, including dual nationals, must enter and depart Israel on their Israeli passports.

Dual nationals who don't have an Israeli passport, including infants, may be required to obtain an Israeli passport in order to leave the country. Israeli citizens, including dual nationals, are subject to Israeli laws requiring service in Israel's armed forces, as well as other laws pertaining to passports and nationality. Israeli-American dual nationals of military age, including females, who do not wish to serve in the Israeli armed forces should contact the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., to learn more about an exemption or deferment from Israeli military service. They should obtain written confirmation of military service exemption or deferment before traveling to Israel. Without this exemption or deferment document, such dual nationals may not be able to depart Israel without completing military service or may be subject to criminal penalties for failure to serve.

Israeli citizens, including dual nationals, are currently not permitted to enter Gaza and are generally restricted from traveling to parts of the West Bank under PA control ("Area A"). Contact the Israeli Ministry of Interior or your nearest Israeli embassy or consulate for more information on dual citizenship, passport requirements, and travel restrictions for Israeli citizens.

Palestinian-Americans: PA ID holders, as well as persons believed to have claim to a PA ID by virtue of ancestry, will be treated for immigration purposes as residents of the West Bank and Gaza, regardless of whether they also hold U.S. citizenship. Israeli authorities consider anyone who was born in the West Bank or Gaza or who has parents or grandparents who were born or lived in the West Bank or Gaza as having a claim to a PA ID.

PA nationals, including dual nationals, are required to enter the West Bank via the Allenby Bridge crossing from Jordan (also known as King Hussein Bridge) using a PA travel document, rather than via Ben Gurion International Airport, unless they have obtained advance permission from an Israeli embassy or consulate on humanitarian or emergency grounds. Even if they were permitted one-time entry via Ben Gurion Airport, these individuals are required to depart via the Allenby Bridge. Upon arrival at any of the ports of entry, such persons may wish to confirm with Israeli immigration authorities from where they will be required to depart. Many PA nationals seeking to enter via Ben Gurion have been sent back to the United States upon arrival. Others have been allowed to enter Israel but told they cannot depart Israel via Ben Gurion without special permission, which is rarely granted. Some families have been separated as a result, and other travelers have forfeited expensive airline tickets.

PA dual nationals may depart at the Allenby crossing between Jordan and the West Bank using a PA identity card and a PA exit permit, provided they have a Jordanian visa in their U.S. passport. Such individuals may also re-enter from Jordan using a Palestinian ID card and a valid U.S. passport if that is how they departed. If they departed using a PA passport they are expected to return using a PA passport, as well.

Palestininan-American residents of Jerusalem are normally required to use laissez-passers (travel documents issued by the Israeli government) that contain re-entry permits approved by the Israeli Ministry of Interior for any out-of-country travel. U.S. citizen residents of East Jerusalem who hold blue Israeli ID cards may have this Ministry of Interior re-entry stamp placed in their U.S. passports for travel in and out of Israel.All U.S. citizens must enter and exit the United States on their U.S. passports. Jerusalem ID holders who hold residency or citizenship elsewhere may encounter problems retaining their Jerusalem residence status. 

Palestinian Americans whom the Government of Israel considers residents of the West Bank or Gaza are subject to the same restrictions on movements between Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza and within the West Bank and Gaza as those imposed by Israel on PA residents. During periods of heightened security concern, these travel restrictions can be onerous.

Entering Israel: For non-dual nationals an onward or return ticket and proof of sufficient funds are required for entry. Although the Israeli government does not require that a passport be valid for six months from the date of entry, airlines routinely do so and may decline boarding if a traveler has less than six months' validity on his or her passport. Travelers normally receive a free, three-month tourist visa upon arrival in Israel, which may be extended. Travelers carrying official or diplomatic U.S. passports must obtain visas from an Israeli embassy or consulate prior to arrival.

Anyone who has previously been refused entry, has experienced difficulties with his/her status during a previous visit, has overstayed the authorized duration of a previous visit, or otherwise has violated the terms of a previous admission to Israel should consult the nearest Israeli embassy or consulate before attempting to return. Such immigration violations may incur a 10-year bar to re-entry to Israel. 

Anyone seeking returning resident status must obtain permission from Israeli authorities before traveling. The Government of Israel at times has declined to admit U.S. citizens wishing to visit, work, or travel to the West Bank or Gaza whom they suspect of being intending immigrants there. Persons denied entry have the right to an immigration court hearing to contest the denials, but they will likely be detained for the duration of the proceedings.

Entering the Gaza Strip: The Department of State strongly urges U.S. citizens to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip, including by sea. U.S. citizens in Gaza are advised to depart immediately. Gaza is currently under the control of Hamas, a designated foreign terrorist organization. Moreover, U.S. consular officials cannot enter the Gaza Strip, so our ability to offer timely assistance to U.S. citizens there, including routine consular services, is extremely limited.

Entering Gaza via the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt generally requires prior coordination with local authorities -- which could take days or weeks to process. Travelers who enter the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing from Egypt must exit the same way. Such travelers will not be permitted to pass through the Erez crossing into Israel except in situations of extreme humanitarian need. U.S. passport holders who also possess Israeli passports are prohibited from entering Gaza by the Government of Israel.

Travelers entering the Gaza Strip may not be able to depart at a time of their choosing. Crossing points may be closed for days or weeks. Those attempting to enter by sea may be forcibly diverted to an Israeli military port and placed in detention until deportation from Israel can be arranged. Private vehicles cannot cross the border in either direction. See the latest Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza for additional information on the threats to safety in the Gaza Strip. Please contact the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem for updated guidance before attempting to enter Gaza.

Entering the West Bank: While travel to Bethlehem and Jericho is unrestricted for U.S. government personnel, the Department of State urges U.S. citizens to exercise caution when traveling to other parts of the West Bank. See the Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza for the latest information concerning travel to the West Bank.

Israel-Jordan Crossings: The international crossing points between Israel and Jordan are the Arava crossing (Wadi al-'Arabah) in the south, near Eilat; and the Jordan River crossing (Sheikh Hussein Bridge) in the north, near Beit Shean. American citizens using these two crossing points need not obtain prior visas to enter either Israel or Jordan, but they will be required to pay entry fees, which are subject to change.

Allenby Bridge (King Hussein Bridge): The Government of Israel requires that Palestinian-Americans with residency status in the West Bank enter Jordan via the Allenby Bridge. For detailed information, please refer to the Consulate General's web site. U.S. passport holders require visas in advance to cross the Allenby Bridge between Jordan and the West Bank. Persons with residency status in Gaza seeking to cross the Allenby Bridge into Jordan should contact the Jordanian authorities for information concerning special clearance procedures for PA ID holders before traveling to the bridge. U.S. passport holders who also possess Israeli passports are prohibited from using the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge crossing, unless as part of an official delegation or with special permission from the Israeli authorities.

Procedures for all three crossings into Jordan are subject to frequent changes. Visit the Embassy of Israel web site for the most current visa information.

The Israeli Ministry of Health imposes some HIV/AIDS entry restrictions for visitors to and foreign residents of Israel, and the Ministry of Health reserves the right to deny entry to visitors who declare their status. Please verify this information with the Embassy of Israel before you travel.

Information about dual nationality or the prevention of international child abduction can be found on our web site. For further information about customs regulations, please read our customs information sheet.

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THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY: The current Department of State Travel Warning advises U.S. citizens to take due precautions when traveling to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. U.S. citizens who visit or reside in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza should closely consult the Travel Warning to ensure that they are aware of the security concerns. It is strongly recommended that you enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program so that you can receive the most up-to-date messages from the Department of State regarding safety and security developments.

Jerusalem: In Jerusalem, travelers should dress appropriately when visiting the Old City and ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods. Most roads into ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods are blocked off on Friday nights, Saturdays, and Jewish holidays. Assaults on secular visitors, either for being in cars or for being "immodestly dressed," have occurred in these neighborhoods.

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CRIME: The crime rate is moderate in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Break-ins of parked vehicles are common at beach areas, the Dead Sea, cemeteries, and national parks (especially Caesarea National Park). Car break-ins and purse snatchings in cities and cemeteries occur regularly throughout Israel. U.S. citizens should not leave their valuables (including passports) unattended, in parked vehicles, or unsecured in hotels. 

Don't buy counterfeit and pirated goods, even if they are widely available. Not only are the bootlegs illegal in the United States, if you purchase them you may also be breaking local law.

U.S. citizens have occasionally been the victims of high-pressure sales tactics in Jerusalem's Old City tourist shops. In some cases, vendors have not disclosed the true cost of an item and convinced the buyer -- who is unfamiliar with the exchange rate -- to unwittingly sign a credit card sales receipt worth thousands of dollars. Tourists visiting shops in high-traffic tourist areas should not sign credit card receipts unless they are certain of the amount being authorized. 

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VICTIMS OF CRIME: If you or someone you know becomes the victim of a crime abroad, you should contact the local police and the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate (see the Department of State's list of embassies and consulates).

The local equivalent to the "911" emergency line in Israel is 100 for the police and 101 for an ambulance.

The local equivalent to the "911" emergency line in the West Bank and Gaza is 101 for an ambulance. There is no consolidated, central number for police services.

Please see our information on victims of crime, including possible victim compensation programs in the United States, or to following Government of Israel links (in English):

The Government of Israel provides assistance to victims of terrorist acts. Please contact the National Insurance Institute for more information.

In the event you are a victim of crime, we can do the following:

  • Replace a stolen passport.
  • Help you find appropriate medical care if you are the victim of violent crimes such as assault or rape.
  • Put you in contact with the appropriate police authorities, and if you want us to, we can contact family members or friends.
  • Help you understand the local criminal justice process and direct you to local attorneys.

It is important to remember, however, that local authorities are responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes.

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CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza, you are subject to its laws even if you are a U.S. citizen. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own. In some places you may be taken in for questioning if you don't have your passport with you. In some places, it is illegal to take pictures of certain buildings. Penalties for breaking the law can be more serious than those in the United States for similar offenses. Persons violating Israeli or PA laws, even unknowingly, may be arrested or imprisoned. Penalties for possession, use, or trafficking illegal drugs in Israel and PA-administered areas are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines. Engaging in sexual conduct with children or using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country is a crime prosecutable in the United States. If you break local laws in Israel, the West Bank, or Gaza, your U.S. passport won't help you avoid arrest or prosecution. 

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SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Arrest Notification: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in a foreign country, that might not always be the case. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the U.S. Embassy as soon as you are arrested or detained. If you are arrested in Jerusalem, the West Bank, or Gaza, you should use whatever means of communication available to alert the U.S. Consulate in Jerusalem of your situation. 

Israeli Arrests: U.S. citizens arrested in Israel are entitled to legal representation provided by the Israeli government. In some cases, there have been significant delays between the time of arrest and the time when the INP notifies the U.S. embassy or consulate general of an arrest of a U.S. citizen and grants consular access. This is particularly true in the arrest of dual nationals when the police are unaware of the detainee's U.S. citizenship. The notification may be expedited if the arrested U.S. citizen shows a U.S. passport to the police and asks the police or prison authority to contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate General.

U.S. citizens arrested in Israel for security offenses and U.S. citizens arrested by Israeli authorities in the West Bank or Gaza for criminal or security offenses may be prevented from communicating with lawyers, family members, or consular officers for lengthy periods. The U.S. Consulate General and the U.S. Embassy sometimes are only notified of such arrests after lengthy delays. Even after notification, consular access to the arrested individual may be delayed. Under local law, individuals may be detained for up to six months without charges. Youths over the age of 14 have been detained and tried as adults. On occasion, arrestees have been subject to mistreatment during interrogation and pressured to sign statements.

Palestinian Authority (PA) Arrests: U.S. citizens arrested by PA security forces in the West Bank for crimes are entitled to legal representation. PA security forces normally notify the Consulate General of non-security-related arrests for criminal offenses, but not always in a timely manner. Consular access is normally granted within four days. This procedure may be expedited if the arrested U.S. citizen shows a U.S. passport to the police or asks the police to contact the U.S. Consulate General.

Palestinian-Americans living in the West Bank may be detained by the IDF. In such instances, the Government of Israel may not recognize the detainee's U.S. citizenship and will instead consider him or her a Palestinian. In such cases the U.S. Consulate General may not be notified.

Dual Palestinian-American citizens arrested by PA security forces in the West Bank for security offenses may be prevented from communicating with lawyers, family members, or consular officers for lengthy periods. In addition, they may be held in custody for protracted periods without formal charges or before being brought before a judge for an arrest extension. The PA often does not notify the U.S. Consulate General of such arrests in a timely manner, and consular access to arrestees is occasionally delayed or denied. Since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, its Executive Forces (EF) have dominated security matters there. The U.S. government has no contact with the EF.  

Court Jurisdiction: Civil courts in Israel actively exercise their authority to bar certain individuals, including nonresidents, from leaving the country until debts or other legal claims against them are resolved. Israel's religious courts exercise jurisdiction over all citizens and residents of Israel in cases of marriage, divorce, child custody, and child support. In some cases, U.S. citizens who entered Israel as tourists have become defendants in divorce or custody cases filed by their spouses in Israeli religious courts. These U.S. citizens have been detained in Israel for prolonged periods while the Israeli courts consider whether the individuals have sufficient ties to Israel to establish jurisdiction. Such visitors should be aware that they might be subject to involuntary and prolonged stays in Israel if a case is filed against them in a religious court, even if their marriage took place in the United States and regardless of whether their spouse is present in Israel.

Purchases of Property: U.S. citizens who buy or lease property in the occupied territories of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza may find their ownership challenged by people earlier displaced from those lands. Prospective property buyers should always seek legal advice before buying in these areas. The possible establishment of a Palestinian state may have legal consequences for property owners in Israeli settlements in the West Bank and in East Jerusalem.

Accessibility: Individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from that in the United States. Israeli law prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in employment, education, access to health care, and the provision of other state services. Legislation mandates access to buildings and transportation, as well as accommodations for persons with disabilities in services and the work place. The government enforces the laws with only limited success.Societal discrimination and lack of accessibility persist in employment and housing. The law mandates accessibility to urban public transportation but not interurban buses. Most train stations maintain access for persons with disabilities; however, many buses still do not have such access. Television stations include subtitles or sign language, and the courts accommodate testimony from persons with intellectual disabilities or mental illness.

Tourists will find restaurants, foot paths, and public transportation less accessible than in the United States.

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MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Modern medical care and medicines are available in Israel. A few hospitals in Israel and most hospitals in the West Bank and Gaza, however, fall below Western standards. It is recommended that visitors have health insurance. Travelers can find information in English about emergency medical facilities and after-hours pharmacies in the Jerusalem Post and the English-language edition of the Ha'aretz newspaper, or refer to the Embassy's or Consulate General's medical lists.

You can find detailed information on vaccinations and other health precautions on the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) website. For information about outbreaks of infectious diseases abroad, consult the World Health Organization (WHO) website. The WHO website also contains additional health information for travelers, including detailed country-specific health information.

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MEDICAL INSURANCE: You can't assume your insurance will go with you when you travel. It's very important to find out BEFORE you leave whether or not your medical insurance will cover you overseas. You need to ask your insurance company three questions:

  • Does my policy apply when I'm out of the United States?
  • Will it cover emergencies like a trip to a foreign hospital or a medical evacuation?
  • Will it cover hospitalization in a mental health facility?

In many places, doctors and hospitals still expect payment in cash at the time of service. Your regular U.S. health insurance may not cover doctors' and hospital visits in other countries. If your policy doesn't go with you when you travel, it's a very good idea to take out another one for your trip. For more information, please see our medical insurance overseas page.

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TRAFFIC SAFETY AND ROAD CONDITIONS: While in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, U.S. citizens may encounter road conditions that differ significantly from those in the United States. The information below concerning Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza is provided for general reference only and may not be totally accurate in a particular location or circumstance.

Israeli roads and highways tend to be crowded, especially in urban areas. Aggressive driving is commonplace, and many drivers fail to maintain safe following distances or signal before changing lanes or making turns. Overtaking on high-speed undivided two-lane roads is common and results in frequent accidents. Drivers are also prone to stop suddenly on roads without warning, especially in the right lane. Drivers should use caution, as Israel has a high rate of fatalities from automobile accidents. 

U.S. citizen employees of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem and their families have been prohibited from using public buses and their associated terminals. (Please review the Travel Warning for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza for more details.)

The Government of Israel requires that all passenger car occupants use their seat belts at all times and that headlights be used during all intercity travel, both day and night, during winter. As of January 1, 2006, all drivers are required to carry fluorescent vests in the car with them at all times, and they are required to wear these vests whenever they get out of their cars to make repairs, change tires, etc. If a vehicle is stopped for a traffic violation and it does not contain a fluorescent vest, the driver will be fined. These vests can be purchased for a nominal price in all local gas stations. While cellular handset phone use is prohibited while driving, hands-free units are authorized.

West Bank and Gaza: Crowded roads are common in the West Bank and Gaza. During periods of heightened tension, cars with Israeli license plates have been stoned and fired upon. Emergency services may be delayed by the need for Palestinian authorities to coordinate with Israeli officials. Seat belt use is required and drivers may not drink alcohol. Individuals involved in accidents resulting in death or injury may be detained by police pending an investigation.

Please refer to our road safety page for more information. We also suggest that you visit the website of the national tourist office and the Israeli Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

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AVIATION SAFETY OVERSIGHT: The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has assessed the government of Israel's Civil Aviation Authority as being in compliance with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aviation safety standards for oversight of Israel's air carrier operations. Further information may be found on the FAA's safety assessment page.

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CHILDREN'S ISSUES:  Please see our Office of Children's Issues web pages on inter-country adoption and international parental child abduction.

                                                                       

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This replaces the Country Specific Information for Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza dated August 9, 2012 to updates the sections on Exit/Entry Requirements for U.S. Citizens, Threats to Safety and Security, Crime and Special Circumstances. 

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