Shiksa in Israel

what the Jerusalem Post has to say about President Bush in Israel

here's the link so you can read the article yourself.

How can it be his first trip? Doesn't the President get to travel all over?

Peace in Israel in 2009?

(from the NYTimes)...The Israeli and Palestinian leaders committed themselves on Tuesday to negotiate a peace treaty by the end of 2008, setting a deadline for ending a conflict that has endured for six decades.

if this news is true, and possible, it will no doubt change travel to Israel. obviously numerous other things will change as well but I'm focused on my mission to inform any/all independent travellers to Israel. so, yea! finally! I'll keep my fingers crossed but won't hold my breath

in the meantime, please note that travel in Israel is much safer than you might imagine. I have a "safety" post planned. stay tuned.

Israel to join an international tourism committee (maybe)

something else from The Jerusalem Post (thanks again, Nathan Burstein)…
Israel has been accepted (ad-hoc) to the tourism committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Members of Israel’s Tourism Ministry plan to go to Paris in November to participate in the next meeting; they hope to become permanent members of the OECD in May, and hope membership will lead to an increase in foreign tourists.