Israel’s National Security Council on Sunday published its latest travel assessment ahead of the Jewish High Holidays, warning that the main threats remain concentrated in countries surrounding Iran, notably Turkey, Azerbaijan and the United Arab Emirates.
Jordan, Qatar, Somaliland and Egypt, including the Sinai Peninsula, “must be strictly avoided,” being assessed at threat Level 4.
The NSC issued a list of recommendations for Israelis traveling abroad, including keeping a low profile, with little to no displaying of Israeli or Jewish symbols. If further advised Israelis to refrain from publishing real-time locations, and blocking or removing any content from social media that indicates service in the Israeli military.
It moreover recommended keeping distance from local protests and avoiding political discussions with foreign nationals, while staying alert to anything unusual.
The NSC listed a number of factors that raise the level of threat for Israelis abroad, chief among them the ongoing conflict in the Middle East with Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas and other terrorist groups.
Iran and its proxies have remained the main instigators of global terrorism against Israeli and Jewish targets around the world, as they remain engaged in special efforts to attack diplomatic missions, senior Israeli officials, security personnel, Jewish community institutions, and Israeli civilians.
Hamas is devoting efforts to establishing terrorist infrastructure in Europe and elsewhere, the NSC continued.
Other jihadist organizations such as the Islamic State and Al Qaeda continue to explicitly call for attacks against Jews, posing a significant threat in Africa and Asia, it said.
“Lone-wolf” terrorism remains a significant threat, with an increase in terror attacks perpetrated by individuals inspired by Islamist terrorism in the wake of the Hamas-led invasion into the northwestern Negev on Oct. 7, 2023, according to the NSC. Twenty-five Israelis and Jews have been killed abroad in so-called lone-wolf terror attacks in that period, according to the threat assessment.
“This is an unpredictable and decentralized threat that stems from ideological radicalization, which in turn stems from the worsening anti-Israel discourse online. These are attackers who act independently, usually against ‘soft’ and accessible targets, such as crowded events, gatherings, community/prayer centers, etc.,” the NSC stated.
The Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot are taking place throughout September. Typically, millions of Israelis pass through Ben Gurion Airport during the peak holiday period. Top destinations include Greece, Cyprus, the United States, Italy, and the United Arab Emirates.
