ISRAEL WARNS CITIZENS NOT TO TRAVEL IN MIDDLE EAST

Israel Warns Against Travel in Mideast
Aug 6 08:53 PM US/Eastern

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israeli security officials on Monday warned citizens traveling in Egypt, Jordan and other Muslim countries to leave immediately due to a "concrete and severe" threat of terror attacks.

Israelis anywhere in the world should also be alert to the danger of being kidnapped by operatives from Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, according to the announcement from Israel's National Security Council.

Israeli tourists are allowed to visit Egypt and Jordan, which have peace agreements with Israel. But the council said any Israeli citizens in those countries should cut their trips short.

The council also warned against travel to Morocco, where Israelis can visit with special permission from that country's government, and to Tunisia. But those warnings were less urgent than the "severe" warning for other Muslim states.

The announcement on the council's Web site, a renewal of a travel advisory issued twice a year, also warned Israelis not to travel to Mideastern countries like Iraq, Yemen, Sudan, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf states, as well as African nations like Somalia, Djibouti and Chad.
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From the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs Website:
http://www.pmo.gov.il

Note: (The information below is current to the facts reported above by the AP. However, the dates on the Israel MFA Website have not been revised. Blogmaster)

Communicated by the National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Division)
(See Chart Below)
The National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Division calls the public's attention to the existing travel warnings and related information. The travel warning tables and other information are still valid and remain in force with the following five changes:

1. There is an especially high concrete warning against travel to the Sinai peninsula; Israeli citizens are urged to avoid visiting there and to leave immediately.
2. There are no specific warnings regarding travel to Mauritania and the Comoro Islands.
3. The travel warnings regarding Libya, Oman and Kenya have been redefined as "basic concrete threat"; Israeli citizens are urged to avoid traveling there.
4. There is a basic concrete threat regarding travel to the Philippine islands of Palawan and Davao; Israeli citizens are urged to avoid traveling there.
5. There is a temporary potential threat regarding travel to Turkey due to the continuation of terrorist attacks against tourist targets there. Israelis are urged to avoid visiting crowded sites there.* * *
The National Security Council Counter-Terrorism Division reiterates the following regarding Israelis abroad:
1. Refrain from visiting or being present in Arab countries regarding which there are travel warnings (all Arab countries except Mauritania and the Comoro Islands).
2. Do not visit or be present in other countries/areas regarding which there are travel warnings, especially Islamic countries.
3. Do not accept enticing and/or unexpected proposals abroad.
4. Do not receive unexpected gifts and invitations to free vacations from suspect and/or unknown elements.
5. Do not accept invitations to unexpected meetings from suspect and/or unknown elements in remote or isolated places, especially at night.
6. Do not appear alone at unplanned meetings; be accompanied.

The National Security Council Counter-Terrorism HQ presents the following updated and current table as a public service. The below tables notwithstanding, all travelers are called upon not to take unnecessary risks upon themselves in any case.

ARAB COUNTRIES
Number
Country
THREAT LEVEL
RECOMMENDATION
1
Comoro Islands
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
2
Mauritania
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
3
Oman
Basic concrete threat
Avoid visiting
4
Kuwait
Basic concrete threat
Avoid visiting
5
Libya
Basic concrete threat
Avoid visiting
6
UAE
Basic concrete threat
Avoid visiting
7
Bahrain
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
8
Algeria
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
9
Djibouti
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
10
Tunisia
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
11
Qatar
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
12
Morocco
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
13
Egypt
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
14
Sudan
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
15
Saudi Arabia
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
16
Jordan
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
17
Syria
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
18
Lebanon
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
19
Somalia
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
20
Iraq
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
21
Yemen
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately

2. OTHER COUNTRIES
Number
Country
THREAT LEVEL
RECOMMENDATION
1
Tajikistan
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
2
Nigeria
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
3
Bangaladesh
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
4
Indonesia
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
5
Malaysia
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
6
Pakistan
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
7
Kenya
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
8
Afghanistan
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
9
Iran
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately

3. PARTIAL WARNINGS
Number
AREA
THREAT LEVEL
RECOMMENDATION
1
Khao San Road and vicinity (Bangkok)
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
2
Southeastern Turkey (borders with Iraq and Iran)
Continuing potential threat
Postpone non-essential travel
3
Northern Nigeria (north of 10 degrees north latitude)
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
4
Southern Thailand (south of meridian between Krabi and Nakhon Si Thammarat to the Malaysian border)
High concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country as soon as possible
5
Kashmir (northern India)
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
6
Mindanao (southern Philippines)
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately
7
Chechenya (southern Russia)
Very high concrete threat
Avoid visiting and leave country immediately

4. GENERAL CAUTION AND ALERTNESS

Even though there are no travel warnings regarding the following countries, there are occasional and potential terrorist threats in their regard. Therefore, Israeli citizens are called upon to be especially cautious when visiting them and to adopt the recommended rules of conduct: The Philippines, Turkey, Thailand, & Uzbekistan.
For additional clarifications, please contact the Counter-Terrorism HQ
at 03-5486043/4 or 03-5486124