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Israel - Facts

Jun 24, 2025
  • ALERT: Due to on-going conflicts in Israel a state of emergency has been declared across the whole country. Mariners report GPS blocking and unreliable satellite GPS  coordinates between Israel and Cyprus. Foreign yachts wishing to enter Israel at this time would have to get permission from the Navy when they are 25 miles from shore.
  • Israel is a country in Western Asia. It is situated on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea, and shares borders with Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to the east and west, respectively, and Egypt to the southwest. Jerusalem is the capital.
  • Israel has a population of over 9 million people. Hebrew is the official language but English is widely spoken in the main tourist areas.
  • The Israeli Shekel is the official currency. For specifics see General Info.
  • Israel Standard Time (IST) is 2 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
  • Israel has three seasons with a long summer, lasting from April to October, followed by autumn and winter from November to March.  The height of heat and humidity is usually around July-August. See Weather for more details.
  • The Israeli coast is low with no natural harbors or anchorages and visiting yachts have the choice of only a few marinas and ports. An unexciting coastline, stringent security controls, and recurring internal problems have kept most cruising yachts away from this interesting country.
  • The few foreign yachts that make the detour to reach Israel during a cruise of the Eastern Mediterranean are rewarded with the opportunity to visit many of the well-known ancient sites. A sojourn in Israel also provides a unique opportunity to experience and perhaps understand some of the reasons for the continuing tension in the Middle East.
  • Although not a prime cruising destination, Israel's yachting facilities have been steadily improving to cater for an expanding resident boating community. The Haifa-Kishon marina inside Haifa Harbor has meant a significant improvement to facilities in the north of the country. Limited facilities are available at Eilat, Israel's port on the Red Sea, where the marina has expanded into the nearby lagoon. For details of services for cruising boats see Yachting Essentials.
  • If planning a passage that passes close to Israel, best advice is to stand well outside the official 12NM limit off the Israel coast (preferably 20NM) unless visas and boat permissions, have already been negotiated.

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Israel was last updated 7 months ago
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