Πατήστε εδώ για να δείτε τις αναχωρήσεις για τον προορισμό (Ισραήλ και Παλαιστίνη)

Πόλεις -- Επιλέξτε προορισμό -- Ιεροσόλυμα Τελ Αβίβ

Εισαγωγή

Everyone has their own perception of what Israel and the Palestinian Territories (or just ''''Israel'''' for brevity) are about: it’s a travel agency package of beaches and sun; it’s the Promised Land of the Jews; it’s a ticking time bomb; it’s the birthplace of Christ. And while it is all of these things, it''''s much more besides.

Israel is a bustling, noisy, modern country. It’s best not to arrive with preconceptions of spiritual epiphany. If you do, you''''ll almost certainly have them confirmed, but in doing so you run the risk of missing the best that this fascinating country has to offer.

If you want to understand Israel, take time to visit the new, cosmopolitan city of Tel Aviv, dive the Red Sea at Eilat, explore some of the country''''s thriving national parks and float for hours in the salty stillness of the Dead Sea. Look beyond the larger-than-life figures of the past and have a chat to your bus driver or hostel owner.

Warning
The situation in Israel and the Palestinian Territories remains volatile and, in many parts, dangerous. In particular, the West Bank and Gaza Strip are unsafe; Nablus, Jenin and the Gaza Strip should be considered off-limits, except perhaps for essential daytime travel to Gaza City.

The threat of Palestinian suicide bombings and retaliatory strikes by Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) mean personal security situation in Israel is not reliable or predictable. Violence can occur without warning, even during ''''cease fires''''. While this cycle continues, travel to this region is not encouraged. Prospective travellers are advised to check consular travel advice.

Full country name: State of Israel
Area: 21,056 sq km
Population: 6.2 million
Capital City: Jerusalem (contested); pop 623,000
People: Jewish (80%), Muslim (15%), Christians (1.7%) and Druze (1.3%)
Language: Hebrew, Arabic, English
Religion: Jewish, Muslim, Christian
Government: parliamentary democracy
Head of State: President Moshe Katzav
Head of Government: Prime Minister Ariel Sharon


GDP: US$103 billion
GDP per capita: US$16,291
Annual Growth: 5%
Inflation: -2%
Major Industries: Metal, defence, machinery, technology, diamonds, chemicals
Major Trading Partners: USA, UK, Belgium/Luxembourg, Germany