By Michael Marcus
Due to its exposure in the news, Israel has a reputation as a dangerous place. However, the reality is that travel in Israel is safe.
Routine Security
Israel owes its safety to good security measures. Most public places, such as shopping malls, train stations and government offices, have security guards. Plainclothes police patrols are alert for suspicious activity, and off-duty soldiers and police are always armed.
Taking Shelter
Israel has suffered missile and rocket attacks in recent years. Since the 1980s, building codes require a hardened bomb shelter in every building. There are also community shelters in every town and city. In the event of an attack, air raid sirens sound.
Keeping Alert
Israel gets bad press from terrorist attacks. Most attacks are thwarted by the army, the police or security guards. Israelis are used to dealing with the "situation," and are alert for suspicious people or unattended bags in public areas.
A Statistical Perspective on Terror Attacks
While Israel is a safe country, terrorism does exist. Statistics can help put it in perspective: Between 2000 and 2003, 873 Israelis died in terror attacks, 12.4 deaths per 100,000 people. In the single year 2006, the city of Detroit had 418 murders, 47.3 deaths per 100,000 people.
Drive Defensively
Israeli roads also have a bad reputation but have grown safer over the years. Better construction and maintenance provide better driving surfaces, and more aggressive traffic enforcement has encouraged defensive driving.
About the Author:
Michael Marcus is an American writer based in northern Israel, where he has been living since 2004. He has specialized in writing Web content for the last 3 years, producing a variety of informative articles, keyword articles, SEO materials, and marketing materials.
