Israel Matzav

US State Department issues warning to Americans in Israel

Those of us who live in Israel take the US State Department's warnings here with a grain of salt that at least borders on indifference. But this one is unusual:

Israeli authorities are concerned about the continuing threat of suicide bombings. The January 2007 bombing in Eilat, the April 2006 and January 2006 suicide bombings in Tel Aviv, the December 2005 suicide bombing in Netanya and a similar incident in Hadera in October 2005 are reminders of the precarious security environment. The threat of such attacks is ongoing. The U.S. Government has received information indicating that American interests could be the focus of terrorist attacks. For that reason, American citizens are cautioned that a greater danger may exist in the vicinity of restaurants, businesses, and other places associated with U.S. interests and/or located near U.S. official buildings, such as the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv and the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem.

There are actually two US consulate generals in Jerusalem, but only one, the 'East Jerusalem' consulate off Derch Shchem is of consequence to most Americans. We must go there to obtain passports, register our newborn children as American citizens (born in Jerusalem - no country), present death certificates and make claims against social security. The alternative is to go to Tel Aviv, and most Jerusalemites would rather not do that.

But 'restaurants, businesses and other place associated with US interests' is a whole different ball of wax. That describes much of downtown Jerusalem, including most of the businesses I frequent when I go to town on Friday mornings. Let's hope that this is yet another false alarm.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:38 AM