Maayan Navon - Keren Hayesod: KH-UIA-Friends of Israel-Indonesia Delegation
Itamar Eichner: The warming relations between Israel and the moderate Muslim world on the backdrop of the crisis with Iran and the global jihad threat can be felt in the tourism industry as well.
The highest number of tourists arrived from Indonesia – 124,719 visitors in the past six years. The year 2013 saw the arrival of 29,517 tourists from Indonesia, more than three times the number of tourists who arrived from that country in 2009 (9,442).
A total of 23,483 tourists arrived from Malaysia in the past six years. While only 584 arrived in 2009, the number of arrivals from Malaysia jumped to 7,859 in 2013.
It should be noted that if tourists from these countries ask not to have their passports stamped upon entering or exiting Israel so as not to get in trouble when they enter Arab countries, the state agrees.
The Arab and Muslim tourists arrive in Israel both through Ben-Gurion Airport and through the border crossings with Jordan.
ISRAEL AND PHILIPPINES AGREE TO INCREASE FLIGHTS: In 2012, approximately 13,450 Filipinos visited the Holy Land while only 5,895 Israelis visited the Philippines. Filipinos are entitled to visit Israel visa-free for up to 90 days.
Emanuel Shahaf: Indeed, the need for, and the difficulty of achieving consensus―a central tenet of Indonesian culture, particularly in Javanese society, which dominates Indonesian politics―is itself an obstacle to the further development of Israel-Indonesia relations. And there is no such consensus regarding relations with Israel. In fact, everything associated with Israel requires careful management.
Emanuel Shahaf: incidentally, the book Start-up Nation will be published in the Indonesian language soon
Emanuel Shahaf: What, then, can be done―if anything―to unlock the potential for a more productive Israel-Indonesia relationship? An important initial step would be a more liberal policy accepting Israeli tourists on individual visas, maybe in the beginning restricted to Bali.
Joni: The newest group of Filipinos made happy by the island of Bali. Yes, we *had to* wear those sarongs otherwise they won’t let us in the vicinity.
