U.S. issues travel warning for Israel

jerusalem (jps) | The State Department issued a new travel warning on Tuesday, Aug. 3, urging Americans to defer travel to Israel, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, and asking all U.S. citizens currently in Gaza to "depart immediately." It also warns that Jerusalem is not a safe location.

The warning, an update of an April 28 advisory, was issued "in light of the kidnapping of a U.S. citizen by unknown gunmen in the West Bank," the State Department said.

It also cited recent kidnappings of foreigners by "militants associated with al-Aksa Martyrs Brigades," an offshoot of Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.

The State Department also said that Hamas has threatened revenge against U.S. interests after Israel's recent killings of two Hamas leaders.

"American citizens who remain in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza despite this and earlier warnings are urged to continue to review their personal security situations and to take those actions they deem appropriate to ensure their well-being," the travel warning says.

When asked about the new advisory, an Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman replied diplomatically that "it isn't nice for any country to hear that it has been placed on a list of countries where it is advised against visiting, especially since this can deter people from coming here and seeing that life goes on as normal."