Safety in Israel

Imagine a time when you had been at a sporting event and paid so much attention to every detail that after you were totally thrilled and exhausted. Then the next day you read an article in the paper on the coverage of the game or event. In that coverage the reporter wrote about play or situation that you totally missed and yet they were able to develop a whole article about the one little detail. They passed this detail off as the theme or umbrella to the whole story of the game. After you read the article and had time to absorb it you them begin to think “that's not the way it happened”; and you begin to speculate “did this reporter cover the same game I was at”? Unfortunately in our society for anyone not at the game the article becomes “gospel”. Well I can tell you it might be a story but it is not truth.

In trying to discern the truth about your safety in Israel keep in mind one thing, there is no Western or European media organization that is an ally or friend of Israel (especially CNN). Despite how the media can present the situation and conditions in the Middle East it is completely safe to travel to Israel! Despite the “sensationalized” media coverage of the Middle East , my groups and I have traveled without any fear or anxiety. Mostly everyone who travels to Israel discovers a peace there, not a chaos. After leaving Israel my pilgrims will most often comment about how different and bias the media story portrays the contexts of terrorism.

While we do not travel to places that are more prone to tension like Gaza , Hebron or the heart of the West Bank , you will however encounter many people, Arabs, Palestinians and Israelis who will make you feel entirely safe throughout the trip!

Last year Israel had 3 million tourists travel to the country, 1.8 million of those people where Christians. That is a 17% increase since the time Pope John Paul II travel there in 2000. There has been a 40% increase in the number of travelers from North America . Not one of those people was a target or a victim of any terrorism. If you need to check it out for yourself you can go to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs at www.mfa.gov.il

Many times broadcast groups will air from Jerusalem about the unrest in Gaza and many people think that this violence is happening in Jerusalem , because they are broadcasting from there. Gaza is some 150 miles away and we never go near it. Again another way the broadcasting companies are portraying false information about the safety of traveling in Israel .

I am a husband and a father of 3 young boys, I would never lead others to Israel if my safety and the group's safety were ever in jeopardy. I would never lead someone in harms way. The Will of God will never take you to a place the Grace of God will not protect you.

“no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD.

Isaiah 54:17