Israelis undeterred by Europe travel warning

Israeli travelers bound for western Europe were taking the Counterterrorism Bureau's latest travel alert in stride on Tuesday, shrugging off the bureau's warning of possible terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish targets by Islamist militants who have returned from Syria and Iraq.

"I didn't give it great consideration because I'm traveling to my family that lives in France," said Celine Golan. "It's dangerous everywhere. It's been dangerous for a while, and we felt it especially in Paris. But it's also dangerous here [in Israel]. It's also hard to leave my family here. But this is life, what can you do-"

"I'm not too worried about the travel," said Libby Bahat, another passenger heading for Paris. "These are organized countries, organized cities, if you do the instructions, you don't do anything too extreme, then there's no reason to be concerned."

Uri Zomburg, on his way to Berlin for a holiday, said he would not be taking any additional precautions: "I don't think it's necessary. We're going to a good place. Berlin is a happy, fun, youthful town. We're just going to have fun."

The Counterterrorism Bureau, part of the Prime Minister's Office, warned on Monday of "attacks on Jewish and Israeli targets, particularly in western Europe, by global jihadists (including the Islamic State group), mainly graduates of fighting from Syria and Iraq who return to their country of origin."

The alert, published on the bureau's website, urged Israelis to "be cautious" when traveling during the September-October holiday season.

It said concerns rose following the May shooting attack at Brussels' Jewish museum which killed four people, including an Israeli couple. French prosecutors have said a French national, Mehdi Nemmouche, was suspected of having carried out the attack after spending most of 2013 fighting in Syria with Islamist rebels. A French journalist who was held hostage for months in Syria has said that Nemmouche was one of his captors.

The museum was reopened to the public on Sunday.

The Israeli alert comes as Western governments increasingly worry about the flow of European citizens to Syria and Iraq to fight alongside Islamist militants, who then return home radicalized.

The Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria has shocked observers with its rapid advances and brutal methods.

The Counterterrorism Bureau also asked Israelis to avoid "non-essential" trips to Turkey.

Meanwhile, Israeli travelers to western Europe received encouragement from one of Germany's Muslim leaders on Tuesday, who said they should not be put off by the travel alert.

In Berlin, Zekeriya Altug, head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Turkish Islamic Union, insisted the region remained safe for Israeli visitors.

"We actually still live in Europe very safely, and also our Jewish siblings from Israel can travel without concern and calm to Europe," Altug told a news conference in the German capital. "They always will be received by us with open arms, and I believe they don't need to be concerned regarding their safety, especially in Europe."


Credit: Reuters

On Sunday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel attended a landmark rally in Berlin against anti-Semitism.

The rally followed a surge of anti-Israeli sentiment aroused by the recent round of fighting in the Gaza Strip.

Merkel told the thousands attending the rally that anyone who attacks Jews attacks all of Germany.

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