Israel

Recommended Vaccinations For Israel

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis A Vaccine

Although the risk of hepatitis A is low, the vaccination is recommended.

Hepatitis B Vaccine

Although the risk of hepatitis B is low, the vaccination is recommended.

For Some Travellers

Typhoid Fever Vaccine

Although there is a low risk of exposure to typhoid fever in this country, the vaccine is recommended for travellers who visit smaller cities, villages, or rural areas and stay with friends or relatives, especially in the West Bank in Gaza.

Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Vaccine

A dose of Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is recommended for all travellers over 6 months of age.

Polio Vaccine

Travellers who intend to visit Israel for 4 weeks or more may be required to show proof of polio vaccination taken 4 weeks to 12 months prior to arrival in the country. Failure to produce this documentation may result in vaccination at the entry ports. Childhood vaccinations, including polio, should be up-to-date prior to travel.

Rabies Vaccine

Vaccination against rabies is recommended for travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) who may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk and should be vaccinated.

Recommended Medications For Israel

There are no recommendations for Israel at this time.

Diseases To Be Aware of for Israel

For Most Travellers

Hepatitis A

There is a low risk of hepatitis A in Israel.

Hepatitis B

There is a low risk of hepatitis B in Israel.

For Some Travellers

Leishmaniasis

There is a risk of acquiring Leishmaniasis in this country through sand fly bites, particularly between dusk to dawn. Adventure tourists, outdoor athletes, or humanitarian aid workers are at a higher risk.

Hanta Virus

There is a risk of acquiring Hantavirus in this country through the consumption of food and water contaminated by an infected rodent or through rodent bites.

Measles

There is a risk of Measles in this country, especially in infants aged 6 to 11 months.

MERS

There is a risk of acquiring MERS-CoV in this country. Scientists do not fully understand how the MERS virus spreads. It is a viral infection transmitted through direct or indirect contact with infected camels or camel-related products. Limited person-to-person transmission through coughing and sneezing from infected persons, typically in healthcare settings, has also been reported. There is currently no vaccine to prevent MERS.

Polio

Israel may be infected with vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) and type 3 (cVDPV3) with the potential risk of global circulation. Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated travellers are at a higher risk if they come in direct contact with an infected person or through contaminated food and water, especially when visiting smaller cities, villages, or rural areas with poor hygiene standards.

West Nile Fever

Outbreaks of West Nile virus occur in Israel.

Typhoid Fever

There is a very low risk that unvaccinated people can become infected through contaminated food and water in this country. However, the U.S. CDC reports that the risk of typhoid fever is confined to the West Bank in Gaza.

Rabies

Rabies occurs in this country. Travellers involved in outdoor activities (e.g., campers, hikers, adventure travellers, and cavers) may have direct contact with rabid dogs, bats, and other mammals. Those with occupational risks (such as veterinarians, wildlife professionals, researchers) and long-term travellers and expatriates are at higher risk.

Safety & Security in Israel

Personal Safety

The security situation in Israel fluctuates significantly due to ongoing regional conflicts. You face elevated risks from terrorism, armed conflict, and civil unrest. The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack killed over 1,200 people and transformed the security landscape. Terrorist attacks and violence can happen without warning in any location, including tourist sites, markets, transportation hubs, and public spaces. Rocket and missile attacks from Lebanon, Gaza, and Yemen continue to target areas across the country, including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Major cities have sophisticated security infrastructure with guards at shopping centers, public buildings, and transit stations. Emergency sirens and bomb shelters are facts of daily life. Feelings of insecurity among residents rose from 76% feeling safe in 2022 to 65% in 2023. Crime statistics show homicides in Israel more than doubled to 299 in 2023, with most concentrated in Arab communities. Traditional crime like mugging remains relatively rare in tourist areas, though petty theft and scams targeting visitors occur at markets and tourist sites. Women face similar security risks to men and violent crime against tourists is uncommon in major cities, though sexual harassment was reported in 17,484 incidents in 2023. Tel Aviv maintains relatively low street crime despite security concerns.

Extreme Violence

Israel faces extremely high terrorism risks and active armed conflict. Terror attacks are very likely to continue with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets, shopping malls, and local government facilities. The Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023 resulted in over 1,200 deaths and hundreds taken hostage. Subsequent conflict has generated sustained security threats. In 2024, 6,828 terror attacks occurred including stabbings, shootings, vehicular attacks, and explosive devices. Within Israel, 46 people died from terror attacks in 2024, with 14 significant attacks carried out by Israeli Arabs. Rocket and missile attacks strike throughout Israel from Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen. In February 2025, one person was killed and 12 injured in a ramming and stabbing attack near Haifa. Security forces thwarted 1,040 significant terror attacks in the West Bank and Jerusalem in 2024. Settler violence in the West Bank reached record levels with 1,232 incidents in 2023, killing 15 Palestinians. Areas near borders with Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria experience elevated military activity and violence. Kidnapping risks exist near borders, particularly Gaza and Egypt. Emergency response systems are sophisticated but the threat environment remains volatile and unpredictable. No location is immune to potential attacks, though security measures are extensive throughout the country.

Political Unrest

Political demonstrations and civil unrest occur regularly across Israel. Since October 2023, over 1,667 protests have taken place, many focused on hostage releases, war in Gaza, and opposition to government policies. Large protests in Tel Aviv have drawn tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of participants, with some estimates reaching nearly half a million in August 2025. Protests frequently block major highways like Ayalon Highway and result in confrontations with police. More than 700 people have been arrested since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war, with 1,635 arrests since January 2023. Violence monitoring organizations reported 1,536 incidents of violence at protests in 2024, mostly attributed to police actions including 1,233 physical assaults, 282 violent arrests, and mounted police violence. Police have used water cannons, stun grenades, and force to disperse protesters. In 2023, mass protests against judicial reform proposals brought over 100,000 people to streets multiple times before October. Anti-war protests face restrictions, with the Supreme Court allowing police to bar anti-war demonstrations in November 2023. Protests near government buildings in Jerusalem regularly turn confrontational. Travelers should avoid all demonstrations and crowds as situations can escalate quickly. Roads and public spaces may close without notice during protest activity.

Areas To Avoid

Avoid all travel to Gaza and areas within 7 miles (11.3 kilometers) of the Gaza border due to extreme danger from armed conflict, rocket attacks, and military operations. The security environment is extremely dangerous and volatile with no exit routes for civilians since May 2024. Avoid areas within 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of the Lebanese border due to continued military presence and activity. While a ceasefire was agreed in November 2024, hostilities could reignite with little warning. Avoid areas within 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of the Syrian border, particularly parts of the Golan Heights east of Highway 98, due to military activity, rocket fire, and clashes between armed groups and Israeli forces. Kidnapping has occurred near this border. Avoid the Egyptian border within 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers), except for the Taba crossing. Security incidents including deaths and injuries have occurred in Eilat and surrounding areas near the Gulf of Aqaba. Exercise extreme caution in the West Bank, particularly refugee camps in Jenin, Nablus, Tulkarem, and Tubas governorates where systematic attacks and military operations occur frequently. Jerusalem, including the Old City, requires heightened awareness due to unpredictable security conditions. Even Tel Aviv and other major cities experience rocket attacks and armed UAV intrusions without warning. Border crossings can close suddenly and remain shut for extended periods.