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Israeli legal chief stands by security checks of tourists’ email
DestinationsIsrael’s top legal adviser on Wednesday rebuffed criticism of authorities for asking travelers entering the Jewish state to show border officers their emails, saying the checks affecting only certain foreign nationals were lawful. Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein’s written legal opinion was given in response to a query by the Association of Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) [...]
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Israel turns to a Chinese movie star to boost tourism from China
DestinationsChinese star Zhang Jingchu stands with her back to Judaism’s Western Wall and Islam’s Al-Aqsa mosque after shooting scenes for the film “Old Cinderella” at Christianity’s Church of the Holy Sepulcher. “It is amazing that we can end this movie, which is a love story and romantic comedy, here,” she says. “I’m overwhelmed by all [...]
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El Al resumes operations after reaching government deal on security
TransportIsrael’s Finance Ministry reached an accord with El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. over its security costs, a deal the Histadrut labor union federation said would end a strike that has disrupted flights since yesterday. The agreement also removed a threat by airport workers to walk off the job tomorrow, Histadrut said by text message. El [...]
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Thousands are stuck in Israel as airlines plan third day of strikes
TransportThousands of travelers have been stranded in Israel during the second day of a strike by the nation’s three airlines. Airline workers launched the strike on Sunday to protest the government’s approval of a new “open skies” aviation deal with the European Union. Proponents say the deal will lower air fares and boost tourism. Union [...]
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Israeli airlines strikes as government approves plan to increase competition
TransportIsrael’s Cabinet on Sunday approved a deal to allow more EU flights, hours after the country’s airlines went on strike out of concerns that the agreement would cost them jobs and possibly even ruin their companies. The approval of “Open Skies” raised the possibility of a longer, broader strike by Israel’s major labor union. Already, [...]
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El Al gets new investor which demands “many changes”
TransportFirst Israel Mezzanine Investors Fund (FIMI) and El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) signed an agreement on Saturday night, under which FIMI will invest up to $75 million for a 47 percent stake in the airline, and form a control group in it with Knafaim Holdings Ltd. (TASE: KNFM). Under the deal, FIMI will [...]
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Turkey looks forward to Israeli visitor boom following Netanyahu’s apology
DestinationsTurkish tourism companies rose on expectations that Israeli tourist arrivals to Turkey will rebound after an apology by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the Israeli army’s killing of nine Turks three years ago. The Istanbul Stock Exchange’s tourism index gained 1.5 percent to 5978.07 at 4:15 p.m. in Istanbul, heading for its highest level in [...]
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Israel is going big — billboard big — to attract Christian tourists
DestinationsWith tourism numbers from North America down, the Israel Ministry of Tourism has big plans — a billboard campaign along U.S. highways — to attract Christian tourists. Billboards depicting two popular Christian tourist spots, the Sea of Galilee and the Old City of Jerusalem, have been plastered up along highways around Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los [...]
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As Waldorf Jerusalem opens, challenges of hotel investment in Israel remain
DestinationsIn downtown Jerusalem, a new hotel managed by Hilton International under its premiere Waldorf Astoria brand is finishing construction just months after air raid sirens warned residents of rocket attacks from Gaza. The $150 million Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem, scheduled to open in summer 2013, is among several new hotel investments gambling that Israel’s potential as [...]
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Checking out Israel just got a whole lot easier with Google Street View’s latest update
DigitalA day after its Street View cars were mistakenly accused of donkeycide in Botswana, Google today announced that the cars have now made their way through hundreds of “cities, towns, villages, heritage sites and tourist attractions across Israel.” As far as we know, no donkeys were harmed in the process. Google launched its first Street View imagery in Israel [...]
