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Viewing cable 09STATE1216, TRAVEL ALERT - ISRAEL, THE WEST BANK AND GAZA

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09STATE1216 2009-01-06 23:15 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Secretary of State
VZCZCXRO0885
OO RUEHAG RUEHAO RUEHAP RUEHAST RUEHAT RUEHBC RUEHBI RUEHBL RUEHBZ
RUEHCD RUEHCHI RUEHCI RUEHCN RUEHDA RUEHDE RUEHDF RUEHDT RUEHDU RUEHED
RUEHEL RUEHFK RUEHFL RUEHGA RUEHGD RUEHGH RUEHGI RUEHGR RUEHHA RUEHHM
RUEHHO RUEHHT RUEHIHL RUEHIK RUEHJO RUEHJS RUEHKN RUEHKR RUEHKSO
RUEHKUK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLH RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHMA RUEHMC RUEHMJ RUEHMR
RUEHMRE RUEHMT RUEHNAG RUEHNEH RUEHNG RUEHNH RUEHNL RUEHNP RUEHNZ
RUEHPA RUEHPB RUEHPD RUEHPOD RUEHPT RUEHPW RUEHQU RUEHRD RUEHRG RUEHRN
RUEHROV RUEHRS RUEHSK RUEHTM RUEHTRO RUEHVC RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHC #1216/01 0062329
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 062315Z JAN 09
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO ALL DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI IMMEDIATE 4981
INFO RUESBKC/ATO ASIA IMMEDIATE 1791
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 2395
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE 0054
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA IMMEDIATE 7233
RUCPDIR/ALL USDOC DISTDIR COLLECTIVE WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEAHQA/HQ USAF WASHINGTON DC//XOXXI// IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/HQ AFOSI DOQ ANDREWS AFB MD//IVOA// IMMEDIATE
RHMCSUU/FAA NATIONAL HQ WASHINGTON DC//ACI-400// IMMEDIATE
RHMFIUU/NRC WASHINGTON DC//INFOSEC// IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ2-JIT// IMMEDIATE
RUCPCIM/CIMS NTDB WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RULSJGI/COGARD INTELCOORDCEN WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 STATE 001216 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: CASC PTER AMGT ASEC IS GZ WE
SUBJECT: TRAVEL ALERT - ISRAEL, THE WEST BANK AND GAZA 
 
1.  The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens that 
the Israel Defense Force (IDF) is engaged in a 
military operation against terrorist organizations in 
the Gaza Strip.  This operation began on December 27, 
2008, with aerial and naval bombardment, and expanded 
on January 3, 2009, to include ground operations. 
Since the December 19, 2008, expiration of a 
ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, terrorist 
organizations have launched ongoing rocket and mortar 
attacks from Gaza into southern Israel.  The 
Department of State urges U.S. citizens traveling to 
and within Israel and the West Bank to maintain a 
high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to 
increase their security awareness.  No official U.S. 
Government travel is permitted within the Gaza Strip. 
Due to the ongoing conflict and limited ability of 
the U.S. Government to assist American citizens in 
the Gaza Strip, the Department of State urges 
American citizens, including journalists and aid 
workers, to avoid all travel to the Gaza Strip.  This 
Travel Alert expires on January 31, 2009. 
2.  U.S. Government employees, including those on 
temporary duty, currently are restricted from 
travelling within a 30 kilometer radius of the Gaza 
Strip, inside of which the vast majority of rockets 
and mortars have fallen.  The Embassy's Regional 
Security Office must approve any travel of U.S. 
Embassy employees inside the 30 kilometer radius. 
Some longer range rockets have landed in Yavne, north 
of Ashdod, and as far east as Beersheva.  The 
Government of Israel's Home Front Command has ordered 
residents of all communities within 40 kilometers of 
the Gaza Strip, including Beersheva, Yavne, and 
Gadera, to take precautions against the possibility 
of rocket strikes.  Schools are currently closed and 
provision of some public services has been scaled 
back in areas considered to be within rocket range. 
American citizens staying within rocket range should 
also take appropriate precautions and security 
measures, which may include staying within a certain 
distance of a sheltered space and remaining in that 
space for five minutes after a rocket alert sounds. 
Specific guidance in English is available at the Home 
Front Command website:  http://www.oref.org.il/934- 
en/PAKAR.aspx 
3.  Within Israel and the West Bank, planned and 
spontaneous protests against the military actions in 
Gaza have the potential to turn violent.  Security 
forces have used tear gas and fired shots in the air 
to control such incidents.  American citizens should 
remain alert and avoid gatherings of protesters and 
police.   Due to these spontaneous demonstrations, 
U.S. Embassy employees have been advised to avoid 
traveling on Highway 65 in the Wadi Ara area between 
Highway 6 and Highway 66, which is near Um-El-Fahm 
and en route to Afula.  Demonstrations can occur with 
little or no warning and make traffic unpredictable; 
demonstrators have also thrown stones at passing 
vehicles. 
4.  Because the current security environment 
throughout Israel and the West Bank remains 
unpredictable, U.S. Government employee security 
measures may be amended at any time including 
increasing travel restrictions, adding travel bans, 
relocating U.S. Government staff and contractors to 
safer areas, or imposing additional restrictions on 
visiting public places. 
5.  Americans in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza 
should be vigilant about security at all times.  They 
should monitor local news, vary their routes and 
times, and consider the level of security when 
visiting crowded public places, such as shopping 
malls, hotels, restaurants, or entertainment venues. 
Some American citizens in Gaza and their immediate 
 
STATE 00001216  002 OF 003 
 
 
family members were assisted in departing Gaza on 
January 2, 2009.  American citizens remaining in Gaza 
should consider notifying the Consulate General in 
Jerusalem at the address below of their whereabouts 
in the event they wish to participate in possible 
future evacuations of foreign nationals from the Gaza 
Strip. 
6.  American citizens are advised to maintain valid 
travel documents and register with the Department of 
State or U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv/U.S. Consulate 
Jerusalem through the State Department's travel 
registration website, 
https://travelregistration.state.gov.  By 
registering, American citizens make it easier for the 
Embassy and the Consulate to contact them in case of 
emergency.  The U.S. Embassy is located at 71 
Hayarkon  Street, Tel Aviv 63903.  The U.S. Consulate 
General in Jerusalem is loated at 27 Nablus Road, 
Jerusalem 94190. 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION RESOURCES 
--------------------------------- 
7.  American citizens traveling abroad should regularly 
monitor: 
*       U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv's Web page, http://usembassy- 
israel.org.il/consular/acs/TravelInformation. aspx, 
for the latest Warden Message; 
*       U.S. Consulate General Jerusalem's Web page, 
http://jerusalem.usconsulate.gov for its latest 
Warden Message, and 
*       The U.S. Department of State's, Bureau of Consular 
Affairs' Web site, www.travel.state.gov. 
These links provide access to: 
*       The current Worldwide Caution; 
*       Travel Warnings, including the Travel Warning for 
Israel, West Bank and Gaza, and Travel Alerts; 
*       Country-Specific Information; and 
*       Other resources, such as information about U.S. 
passports and visas. 
8.  For American citizens living and traveling abroad, 
we encourage you to review valuable security information 
contained in "A Safe Trip Abroad" at 
http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/safety/sa fety_1747.html 
 
---------------------------- 
Other Sources of Information: 
---------------------------- 
9.  Travelers may obtain up-to-date information on 
security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free 
in the United States and Canada, or outside the United 
States and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501- 
4444.  These telephone numbers are available from 8:00 
a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday 
(except U.S. Federal holidays). 
--------------------------- 
Emergency Numbers/Inquiries: 
--------------------------- 
 
10.  In the event of an emergency, contact the Police at 
100 or Fire at 102, as appropriate. 
 
Should you need specific assistance from American 
Citizens Services at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv: 
 
*       During office hours (7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.), call 
our switchboard at 03-519-7575. 
 
*       For after hours emergencies, call 03-519-7551; your 
call will be transferred to the Embassy duty 
officer. 
 
Should you need specific assistance from American 
Citizens Services at the U.S. Consulate General in 
Jerusalem: 
 
*       During office hours, call 02-628-7137. 
 
*       For after hours emergencies, call 02-622-7250. 
 
 
STATE 00001216  003 OF 003 
 
 
Routine Inquiries and Subscription to Informational E- 
mails: 
 
*       For routine American Citizen Services inquiries in 
Tel Aviv, e-mail AMCTelAviv@state.gov. 
 
*       For routine American Citizen Services inquiries in 
Jerusalem, e-mail JerusalemACS@state.gov. 
 
*       To subscribe to Warden Messages and other 
informational e-mails from U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv, 
go to http://usembassy- 
israel.org.il/consular/acs/index.aspx and enter 
your email address, click "subscribe" and then 
click "Do it". 
 
 
11.  Minimize considered. 
RICE