US issues new travel warning for Israel
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July 14, 2007 09:45am
Article from: Reuters

THE United States has issued a fresh travel warning for Israel and the
Palestinian territories, which includes American journalists and aid
workers after a spate of violence and political instability.
In a notice that superseded a warning issued on January 17, the State
Department urged US citizens to be mindful of security when considering
travel to Israel, to defer trips to the West Bank and avoid all travel
to the Gaza Strip.

"American citizens in the Gaza Strip should depart immediately, a
recommendation that the State Department has maintained and renewed
since the deadly roadside bombing of a US Embassy convoy in Gaza on
October 15, 2003," it said.

"This recommendation applies to all Americans, including journalists and
aid workers."

The statement noted "considerable violence" in the Gaza Strip in recent
months between Palestinian factions and between Israeli security forces
and Palestinian militants.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejigged his government on Friday at
the end of a state of emergency declared a month ago when the Islamist
movement Hamas seized control of Gaza.

Hamas, which has militant and political wings, won an election victory
18 months ago that led to an international embargo of the Palestinian
Authority.

The United States, a key ally to Israel, lists Hamas as a terrorist
organization.

The travel warning said militant groups in Gaza continue to launch
rockets against nearby Israeli towns and urged US citizens to "exercise
a high degree of caution" when going to restaurants, malls, places of
worship and other public places.

"Israeli authorities are concerned about the continuing threat of
suicide bombings," it said.

"The US government has received information indicating that American
interests could be the focus of terrorist attacks."

The Quartet of international mediators - the United States, European
Union, United Nations and Russia - is due to meet in Portugal on July 19
to discuss the prospects for Israeli-Palestinian peace.

The conference will be attended by Tony Blair, who stepped down as
Britain's prime minister in late June and was quickly named as the
Quartet's new envoy.