landscape in the persian gulf

[Howard Smith]

I visited Israel about 6 years ago.  It was safe then, but I wonder about now.  I didn't find the landscape especially appealing.  Jerusalem (the old city) was amazing.  Many photo opts.  There were armed Israeli soldiers on about every corner.  They were very friendly.  In th Arab section, they were friendly to tourists, but it seemed clear they were friendly to the business, not the people.

If you wat to photograph historical of religeous sites, this has to be the place.  There are "digs" everywhere, and they are quite open.  We did get run off at gun point at the excavation of the old walls of Jerico.  Never really felt threatened but it was an Uzi in the hands of a very humorless Palestinian.

I have mixed feeling about returning now.  On the one hand, I think it would be dangerous.  On the other hand, think it is about as good as it will ever be.  So if you really want to se Israel, I'd go now.

[levi]

has anybody from the states attempted to shoot landscape in isreal and palestine lately?  i've been invited on a trip to this part of the world and i would greatly like to do some exploring and some photography, but as a us citizen i'm not sure it's safe.  especially considering the latest international news.  what are your thoughts?

[scott kirkpatrick]

I'm a US citizen (with Israeli family and friends).  I live and work in Israel.  It's about as safe now as it has ever been.  There are some awesome deserts in the south and east, lovely green country in the north, historic sites and lively cities.  If you like birds, this turns out to be a key stop on all the Europe to Africa migratory flyways.  You will find very nervous people at the borders, but come on over.  (The Persian gulf is a long way away, but we do have a Red Sea, and both the Sinai shores and the Jordanian mountains around Petra are accessible from Eilat.)

see http://www.pbase.com/skirkp for some recent shots of the deserts and of the north.

scott