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July 14, 2006
Update
With the news of the last week, we, at ARZA World both in New York and in Jerusalem, want to address, up front, the situation that has developed in Israel during the last few days. The Gaza scenario, already several weeks old, has been pushed off the headlines by developments on the border with Lebanon. Hezbollah attacks on Israeli military positions, the abduction of two Israeli soldiers, subsequent Israeli losses, and the wide-ranging Israeli retaliation fill every front page, and TV screen.
We, at ARZA World, would not want to insult anybody's intelligence by playing down the seriousness of the recent developments. The long-term ramifications are not yet clear, but they do seem to suggest a shake-up of the status quo. Most of what we are hearing on the news reflects political and military issues but does not have significant impact on day-to-day life in Israel. Being in Israel, being closer to the situation, having access to more information, and feeling the pulse of the country on the ground is easier than being here watching from afar with sensationalized and selective information.
We, at ARZA World, are not given to heroic gestures. We will modify the itinerary as conditions dictate, avoiding problematic areas. Safety is our first concern, and we will not put anyone in harm's way. Our staff has been and will be checking in with military and security personnel several times a day, and you should be assured that ARZA World, both in New York and in Israel, have a prudent, cautious approach; we would much rather change a day’s program, miss a site, or change accommodations than take any risks.
As of today we have made alternate plans for all of the trips traveling to the North. Groups that were scheduled to stay in the northern Galilee right now have been rerouted to a southern track, and reservations for groups coming to Israel in the near future have been booked for these alternate arrangements as well. Hopefully, the situation will improve and this will be unnecessary, but we want you to know that we have already made alternate arrangements in case they are needed. We have also been working to develop alternate itineraries to make sure that everyone has a safe and wonderful time in Israel. We understand your concerns, and you can be assured that we will be assessing the situation every day, many times a day, and will act with corresponding prudence. In the meantime, we wanted to update you on the situation. We pray for peace and security!
Please feel free to contact us with any additional questions or concerns.
Posted by ARZA World Team at 05:45 PM
