From outsiders, Israel have political conflicts in the issue of Jerusalem. It has close relationship with the US but located in Middle East which next to Iran and Iraq.
So what is going on in Israel?
1. The main tourists are German and Polish
Currently, tourists are mainly from Germany and Poland because of more budgeted airlines connections. It is not difficult to find a round-trip ticket at 40€. Some Israelis don't feel like traveling when they visit Warsaw or Baden-Baden.
2. Some Russians and Ukrainians take normal flights and claim to be refugees in Israel
Currently, Israel people have the same GDP per Capital as British. Despite the economic cooperation with other countries, Israel doesn't join any unions like European Union. For the locals, it's important for their country to maintain it's independence. They are satisfied with the economic development overall, even though they are not as powerful as an Union like EU.
That's also the reason why there is an increasing number of Russians and Ukrainians claimed themselves as refugees but stay working in Israel. The flights from Russia or Ukraine is affordable and some of them choose to stay and work in Israel. There are some legal loopholes so the government will not send them back. When I asked if they are afraid of the immigrants situation happened as what EU facing. They said they are in different situations with the EU because they're not in an union. They won't welcome those REFUGEES coming but definitely not going to oppose them in a rational way.
3. Customs issue
It is interesting to notice that it is difficult for the locals to get back from some "sensitive" countries like Egypt and Morocco. One of their friends was being warned by the customs staff that "there would be a long talk when you come back from Egypt". In fact, it is happened on me when I left from Israel. The customs officers saw my Morocco stamp and started questioning me, like whom did you travel with, do you have any friends there and what is their names, as well as what was the purpose of visit.
4. They have so many enemies
Jewish was ruled and being treated harsh in the past. Now, they like joking that those countries are getting poor except Germany. Apart from Palestine, seems like many countries don't like Israel, like Iran and Syria. In the past few years, some of their enemies, probably Palestinians stole their road signs and put some explosive substances into it. Since they don't have much resources and money on military, the attacks are minor and cause less casualties. But it did affect their daily life, especially the business operation of a country.
5. It is mandatory to build a house with shelter
As mentioned above, they got too many enemies (laugh cry mode). The locals get used to the terrorist attacks, sometimes they will go out even though the government warns them to stay in safe place. "safe place" refer to the shelter of each building. It is compulsory to build a room with shelter.
Residential buildings built in the last 20 years now have either mamaks — merhav mugan komati — safe rooms for each floor, or mamads built in each apartment. The safe room were made out of concrete blocks, a thicker and stronger material than regular concrete and with an inner wall of reinforced steel. The safe room is the most expensive "property" in the house. If you visit any residential building, the room with a hole on top would be the safe room.
Israel is the country with the strictest custom regulation and most soldiers on duty I have seen ever. Despite its geographical location, it seems to be a safe country to visit. More danger it seems, less risky it is. (seems)