"Israel's main activity" Israel by Mcclovis

I went to Israel because I wanted to spend the New Year in Bethlehem. I had been warned about the security measures at the airport and elsewhere in the country and they were an adventure in themselves.

I travelled to Israel's Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport and from there I had a booked taxi to my hotel in Bethlehem. That makes it sound rather straightforward and in a way it was since I had no trouble getting the visa stamped on my passport. Unlike Arab countries there is little to no bureaucracy and no need for scores of little photos and asking total stranger for help to fill endless forms in Arabic...

Israel accepts people not according to where they are from or where they've been but on who they are. The moment I said I was a solo traveller going to Bethlehem (Occupied Territory!!!) red lights went on. My luggage was x-rayed more than 6 times and was questioned by more than 7 different people. Like most other passengersm I was questioned by security personel the moment I stepped off the plane, then by the lady at the passport control, by the security girls round the corner, by more security girls in one room, by more security girls in another room and by a young man who tried to pick a conversation with me in Arabic. And always the same questions were asked over and over again: purpose of visit, family background, connections within Israel, purpose of visit, family background, connections in Israel, purpose of visit, family background, connections within Israel. A sort of psychological x-raying. Then there were the metal detecting gates but I lost count of those.

Leaving Israel for the Occupied Palestinian Territories is easy. You just go through. The Palestinians welcome all and are free to befriend anyone they like.

WARNING!! - Boring details of Israeli security measures.

If the security procedure on arrival was tough then that on departure was atrocious. Again it was mostly in dextrously inquisitive female hands. My taxi was stopped at the checkpoint just before it left the Palestinian Occupied Territories. Some questioning there, showing passport, quick scan of vehicle. Then another checkpoint just before the airport, much tougher this time, more questions: where did you stay? how long? where did you go? Do you know this man (the taxi driver)? Then I was stopped at the main gate, some more questions, then queue.

Now it is the ladies' turn. Has anyone given you something to carry on your flight? No. Are you carrying any sharp objects? -No. Next girl, Are you carrying something in your luggage which does not belong to you? -No. Do you have any sharp objects about your person? -No. Third one, Is everything in your luggage your property? -N... Yes. Is there anything in your luggage that may be dangerous? -Does a biro count?

X-ray luggage and depressurise it or something. Nothing explodes. Open the luggage in front of everyone. Security girl meticulously takes samples for IMS from luggage, clothes, souvenirs, passport, airline tickets, personal toiletries, mobile phone, camera, etc. to test for explosives residues. A rapid check in. More metal detectors, wait in queus to have hand luggage, jacket, passport, shoes, mobile, camera, etc checked through x-ray machines and with IMS. Again no explosives found. Passport control for exit visa, transit area with no touching but security cams and people roaming about. An hour and a half later I passed through the last metal detector in Israel.

The moment I got on the Cyprus Airways plane, which is effectively EU territory, I felt the tremendous relief of freedom.