Middle East - Anthony Ham [278]
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TRANSPORT IN ISRAEL & THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
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GETTING THERE & AWAY
Entering Israel & the Palestinian Territories
A frequent topic of conversation among travellers (a great source of annoyance for some and a breeze for others) is the entrance procedures for Israel and the Palestinian Territories. It’s rigorous even at the best of times, and you can expect a barrage of questions about your recent travels, occupation, any acquaintances in Israel and possibly your religious or family background. If you are meeting friends in Israel, have their phone number handy. Anyone planning to work in Israel can expect delays.
Air
Israel’s main air gateway, Ben-Gurion airport (TLV; 03-975 5555; ben-gurion-airport.co.il), is 20km southeast of Tel Aviv and 50km west of Jerusalem. An ultramodern US$1 billion international terminal, unveiled in 2004, and handling 16 million passengers a year, it’s easy to navigate and a well-organised port of entry and departure with El Al national carrier as its flagship line.
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A STAMPED PASSPORT: A PROBLEM?
If you have an Israeli stamp in your passport (or an Egyptian or Jordanian border crossing stamp, which shows you’ve entered Israel), you’ll be denied entry to Lebanon, Syria, Iran and Iraq. Egypt and Jordan, of course, are no problem.
Coming in the other direction, passport stamps from neighbouring Arab countries (Egypt and Jordan excepted) and Islamic destinations such as Pakistan and Sudan will slow your entry into Israel, and put you in line for questioning. Though you’ll likely be granted entry in the end, there’s nevertheless a chance that you might be turned away without a given reason.
The best solution to this problem is to get all visas and entry stamps stamped on pieces of paper, rather than on the passport itself, or, just to be sure, visit Israel last on your itinerary.
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Only a handful of international charter flights touch down at the officially military Ovda airport outside Eilat; if you do end up here, the airport runs connecting buses to Eilat, or on to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem. To check on international flights, phone Ben-Gurion airport.
Note that airport security is tight, especially on El Al services, and international travellers should check in at least three hours prior to their flight. Fares into Israel aren’t especially cheap and it’s rarely an allowable stop on round-the-world itineraries. The best deals are normally available on the internet, frequently direct from the airlines’ websites themselves. Tel Aviv is well served by European, US and Asian airlines.
Land
There are no open land borders between Israel and Syria or Lebanon. Egypt and Jordan both have open land borders with Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and you may cross on foot or by private vehicle, but not in a taxi or rental car. Drivers and motorcyclists will need the vehicle’s registration papers and proof of liability insurance, plus a driving licence from home (but not necessarily an international driving licence).
EGYPT
The Taba crossing ( 08-637 2104, 08-636 0999; 24hr) is the only open border between Israel and Egypt. Here, travellers pay 69NIS departure tax to leave Israel, and around E£20 to enter Egypt. Driving your own vehicle across, you’ll pay 32NIS departure tax on the car in Israel (as well as your individual fee) and a whopping E£180 on the Egyptian side.
Nearly all visitors require visas to enter Egypt, which cost 65NIS for US and German citizens and 100NIS for everyone else. They’re available at the Egyptian embassy (Map; 03-546 4151; 54 Basel St, Tel Aviv; for applications 9-11am Sun-Thu) and the Egyptian consulate (Map; 08-637 6882; 68 HaAfroni St, Eilat; for applications 9-11am Sun-Thu). Deliver