Travel advisory · IsraelSome governments advise against all but essential travel to Israel.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
- Area within 10 km of the Gaza Strip · avoid all travel · Canada, US
- Gaza envelope (area around the Gaza Strip) · avoid all travel · Germany, France, Ireland, Italy
- Gaza Strip · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, France, Italy, New Zealand, UK, US
- Golan Heights · avoid all travel · France, Ireland, New Zealand
- Lebanon border within 5 km · avoid all travel · Canada, France, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand
- Northern Golan Heights · avoid all travel · Italy, UK
- Northern Israel north of Route 85 · avoid all travel · Germany, UK, US
- West Bank · avoid all travel · Canada, Germany, France, New Zealand, US
- Jerusalem · avoid non-essential travel · Canada, France
Also named by one government: Gaza border strip within 500 m (UK), Ghajja (UK), Golan Heights east of Highway 98 bordering Syria (Canada), Golan Heights within 500 m of the Alpha line (UK), Israel-Egypt border within 2.4 km (US), Jenin Governorate (UK), Occupied Palestinian Territories (New Zealand), Sheba'a Farms (UK), Tubas Governorate (except Route 90) (UK), Tulkarm Governorate (UK), Border with the Occupied Palestinian Territories within 5 km (New Zealand), Desert areas bordering Sinai (Italy), Route 12 (Italy), West Bank (rest, with exceptions) (UK)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | No advice against the whole country (regional advisories) | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Reconsider Travel | Oct 23, 2026 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | Avoid non-essential travel to Israel | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | Von Reisen wird abgeraten (regional advisories) | Oct 29, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Avoid non-essential travel | – | Read the advice |
| Ireland (Department of Foreign Affairs) | Avoid non-essential travel | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | déconseillé sauf raison impérative | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Israel
Israel packs holy cities, Mediterranean beaches and desert into one small country, and the Dead Sea shore is the lowest dry ground on the planet.
Israel sits on the eastern Mediterranean shore of West Asia and reaches the Red Sea at Eilat, far to the south. Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Egypt share its borders. The government works from Jerusalem, which Israel calls its capital, while Tel Aviv is the largest urban area and the economic and technology center. Most foreign embassies are in Tel Aviv, since many countries do not accept Jerusalem as Israel's capital.
Jerusalem's Old City draws Jews, Christians and Muslims to the Western Wall, the Temple Mount and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Dead Sea shore lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, at the lowest dry ground on the planet, and the Negev desert fills the south. The coast has a Mediterranean climate with cool, rainy winters, while the desert is hot in summer. Rain is rare from May to September, so spring and autumn suit most trips. Plan a week for Jerusalem, the coast and one desert or Dead Sea stop, and check government travel advice first, as the armed conflict since October 2023 has brought missile and rocket attacks.
Five things to know before Israel
- Read the current UK and Canadian advice first
The UK advises against all travel to Gaza, the far north and parts of the West Bank (page updated 22 July 2026); Canada says avoid non-essential travel to Israel. Iranian strikes since July can close airspace. UK travel advice
- Apply for the ETA-IL before you fly
Visa-exempt visitors need an ETA-IL before arrival: valid two years, up to 90 days a visit, NIS 25 for British citizens. Passport validity differs by source: the UK and Canada ask for 90 days after arrival, Spain 6 months from departure. ETA and border questions
- Keep your entry card with your passport
At Ben Gurion Airport you get an entry card instead of a stamp; other crossings may give a card or a stamp. Keep it with your passport as proof of legal entry.
- Plan around Shabbat from Friday afternoon
Shabbat runs from sunset on Friday to nightfall on Saturday. Avoid driving into ultra-Orthodox areas of Jerusalem then, and check transport and shop hours ahead. Shelters and getting around
- Allow time for security questions
Expect lengthy questioning and baggage searches on entry and exit. UK advice says to allow extra time at airports, especially during Israeli holidays and the summer.
Israel travel guides
Practical guides from writers who live there.
Advice, entry and shelter basics for the coast
Read the guideVisas and entryThe ETA-IL, entry cards and land borders with Jordan.
Read the guideTravel insuranceWhat policies cover where advice warns against travel.
Read the guideGetting aroundTrains, buses and the Shabbat pause.
Read the guidePhones and eSIMData plans and emergency alert apps.
Read the guideMoney and costsOne of the region's priciest countries, and how to budget.
Read the guideJordanPetra and Wadi Rum, across the Jordan Valley
Read the guide
When to go
- Rainy days
- Best
- JanuaryPartly cloudy10 rainy daysHigh13°Low7°Cool, rainyJanuaryPartly cloudy
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 77 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, rainy
- FebruaryPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh14°Low7°Cool, some rainFebruaryPartly cloudy
- High
- 14°
- Low
- 7°
- Precipitation
- 69 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, some rain
- MarchClear10 rainy daysHigh18°Low9°MildMarchClear
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 60 mm
- Rainy days
- 10
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild
- AprilClear5 rainy daysHigh23°Low12°Warm, clearAprilClear
Best
- High
- 23°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 26 mm
- Rainy days
- 5
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, clear
- MayClear3 rainy daysHigh27°Low16°WarmMayClear
Best
- High
- 27°
- Low
- 16°
- Precipitation
- 14 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm
- JuneClear1 rainy dayHigh30°Low19°Hot, dryJuneClear
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 2 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, dry
- JulyClear0 rainy daysHigh32°Low21°Hot, dryJulyClear
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 0 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, dry
- AugustClear0 rainy daysHigh32°Low21°Hot, dryAugustClear
- High
- 32°
- Low
- 21°
- Precipitation
- 0 mm
- Rainy days
- 0
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Hot, dry
- SeptemberClear1 rainy dayHigh30°Low19°WarmSeptemberClear
- High
- 30°
- Low
- 19°
- Precipitation
- 3 mm
- Rainy days
- 1
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm
- OctoberClear3 rainy daysHigh26°Low17°Warm, clearOctoberClear
Best
- High
- 26°
- Low
- 17°
- Precipitation
- 12 mm
- Rainy days
- 3
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, clear
- NovemberClear7 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°MildNovemberClear
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 35 mm
- Rainy days
- 7
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild
- DecemberClear8 rainy daysHigh16°Low10°Cool, rainyDecemberClear
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 10°
- Precipitation
- 54 mm
- Rainy days
- 8
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, rainy
Average daily high and low in Jerusalem, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Right now in Israel
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
23
- Feels like
- 20°
- Humidity
- 33%
- Wind
- 12 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Jerusalem
01:22 AM
Tuesday, November 3
- Today24°16°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed23°15°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 23°, Low 15°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu21°14°4%Thursday: Fog. High 21°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 4%.
- Fri17°14°34%Friday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 34%.
- Sat17°12°15%Saturday: Cloudy. High 17°, Low 12°. Chance of rain 15%.
- Sun19°11°6%Sunday: Partly cloudy. High 19°, Low 11°. Chance of rain 6%.
Updated 12:55 AM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 3.14 ILS
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Israel FAQ
Is it safe to travel to Israel right now?
The UK advises against all travel to Gaza, border areas, the far north and parts of the West Bank, and warns of airspace closures. Canada says avoid non-essential travel. Read the current UK and Canadian advice before you book.
Do I need a visa for Israel?
Visitors from visa-exempt countries, including the UK, do not need a visa but must get an ETA-IL online before travel. For British citizens it costs NIS 25 and allows stays of up to 90 days. Check your own passport on the official portal.
Will an Israeli stamp stop me visiting other countries?
Ben Gurion Airport gives an entry card, not a stamp, but other crossings may stamp. Lebanon and Iran can refuse entry over evidence of a visit, and Saudi Arabia and Qatar warn of it too.
Can I visit Bethlehem from Jerusalem?
Bethlehem is in the West Bank, through an Israeli checkpoint. The UK's all-but-essential warning for the West Bank currently excludes Bethlehem Governorate, but check the UK and Canadian advice before you go.
When is the best time to visit Israel?
April to May and October to November, when days are warm but not hot. Summer is hot and humid on the coast, and winter brings rain to Jerusalem and the north.