The violence and tension b/w the the pales. and israelis seems to be getting pretty big. There is talk of war starting over there or of another Intifada. gets me a bit nervous to go there next year under such conditions.

To me it seems the same if not reduced from what it has been. If things do somehow escelate im sure the US embassy will take care of me. There is a risk with everything, I dont really think about it. Iran is a lot more of a threat I think.

I don't think the americans will do anything to help you if there is war going on there. Truth is I am not so nervous bec. I was studying there when the previous intifada was going on I even had a window in my Jerusalem apartment shatter from a suicide bomb. In America people are nervous but once you get there you just don't think about the only thing I tried to do was avoid buses, but even that not always.

If it was a fullout war I am sure the US embassy would get the american kids to safety, as its part of their job to protect their citizens. As far as being nervous, living anywhere has its dangers, and I am pretty sure I have more of a chance dying in a car wreck on the freeway, but I still drive.

Also, if there is a fullout war, with the palestinians , it cant be that full. Israel has resources that Palestine doesnt.. the problem comes in when other middle east countries decide they want to screw israel.

Then its fullout war.. and I dont think that will happen in the next 4 years.

It reminds me of quote from the West Wing,

"What do you call a country where the pizza parlor you're eating at could blow up at any time?"
"Israel."

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hah... take a wrong turn? the AUC boards arent anywhere in here.. heheh.

You all are being ridiculous. I lived in Israel for 8 years also during the Intifada and I never felt scared there as I do in the States. Israel has always been in a semi-state of war, that’s how they live there. Plus, Palestinians are more inclined to go after Israeli civilians in the territories, especially since it’s harder for them to infiltrate the border. Ramat Aviv is no where near the territories.

You have more of a chance of getting killed in the states for a 5-dollar bill than in Israel by a bomb. Or walking around at night, don't even get me started. As a woman in Israel, I was never scared walking alone at night, here...I would never even imagine doing such a thing.

Just relax, and if you get so scared that you start peeing in your pants you can always just fly back home. Even during the Gulf War there were airplanes coming in and out of Israel.

You take a risk in going there, that's my opinion. However, it's not a very big one. I wouldn't worry about the Palestinians either, if some of the Middle-Eastern countries decide to help out their muslim brothers and sisters... Then you may have a problem!

To be honest, it's no different to being in the Caribbean and worrying about hurricanes, or in Japan thinking about earthquakes. If it's gonna happen, it's gonna happen

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"Mr Churchill, you are drunk!"
"And you, my dear, are ugly. In the morning, I shall be sober"

"We shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be"

I remember when I visited Israel. We drove in from the border, only time I had a tank aiming at me while we showed our passports. And they inspected EVERYTHING, but God bless those IDF girls.. hot!

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Yeh.. im not scared about living there, like they said, you cant prevent these things, and you will never be perfectly safe (well maybe, but life would suck). I cant wait to go to ramat.. only like 46 more days or something till I get my falafel... and boy do I want some falafel. And... I am going to get fat off of bissli(bisli?) smokey flavor.

And some eilat chocolate, good stuff.