Be afraid, be very afraid, and enjoy your visit to the gentiles

Dimi Reider By Dimi Reider May 2, 2010 | Edit

Be afraid, be very afraid, and enjoy your visit to the gentiles

Ever wondered how life looks like for people who take Israel’s “everyone hates us” line seriously? Well, thanks to the Israeli National Security Council (an official if shady organization in the Prime Minister’s Office), we can now get a pretty good idea. The below is word-for-word translation of most of their permanent advice sheet for Israeli travelers abroad. Italics are mine.

Dear passengers and travelers,

For your safety and enjoyment, we recommend you abide by the following rules:

General behavior:

  • Be watchful of unusual events: (Unusual behavior, suspicious objects, strangers who take interest).
  • It’s undesirable to demonstrate your Israeli identity (by clothing, equipment and behavior) when it’s not necessary.
  • Don’t respond to temptations (money, business, leisure) offered in unexpected circumstances.
  • Don’t volunteer unnecessary information about your rank and position in the security services, past service record included .
  • Avoid political arguments with strangers and avoid demonstrations.
  • Avoid, as much as possible, large gatherings of other Israelis (airports, touristic sites).

Preventing abduction threats: [sic]

  • Reject unexpected but tempting offers (gifts, recreation).
  • Reject invitations to unexpected and/or suspicious business meetings, made by unkown individuals in isolated, remote locations, especially after dark.
  • Make sure you arrive to unplanned meeting with a trusty escort.
  • Ensure a friend or a relative in Israel has a detailed itinerary of your travels and meetings, and get in contact with affiliates in Israel every now and then.

Hotel Behaviour:

  • Don’t let any unidentified persons into your room (it’s preferable to avoid using room service).
  • When your return to the hotel after spending time outside, check if anyone took care of your belongings and especially your suitcases.
  • Don’t accept and don’t open unidentified packages or gifts sent to your hotel.
  • Avoid sleeping in dubious locations (even if they are cheaper).

[…]

We wish you an enjoyable and safe journey and that your return in peace.

For clarifications, please call the Counterterrorism Bureau +972.3. 5486042/3/4

Dimi Reider

Dimi (Dmitry) Reider is an Israeli journalist.  His work has appeared in The New York Review of Books,  The New York Times,The Guardian, Foreign Policy, Haaretz,  Jerusalem Post, and  Index on Censorship. "Dimi's Notes" has been quoted and referenced by the following publications:

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