A bit more to add about *passport stamping* (mainly for those holding European / north American passports): an English girl (a close friend of mine in Cambridge) who was in Israel last year told me that although the Israeli border control advertises the facility to have a separate piece of paper rather than your passport stamped, in practice they [almost?] always refuse that and insist to stamp onto your passport, especially if you're a white person from a Western country [apparently especially if you're a young woman as well]. No worries though, I'm sure it's easy enough for someone from a Western country to apply for a new passport prematurely!
She's in Israel again this summer, and other than sternly denying the possibility to not have my passport stamped, is optimistic: "Basically I don't actually think, having thought about it, that there's anything to say! Just be prepared for a long wait, and for intensive searches (they took everything out of my bag, both ways), and obviously be very careful about carrying anything metal/liquid in your hand luggage. Make sure you know what you'd say to 'why are you going to Israel?'." Deryck On 30 July 2011 02:54, Deryck Chan <[email protected]> wrote: > Thanks Harel :) > > Background about the Chelsea incident: > http://www.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/football/07/28/football.chelsea.malaysia.benayoun.abuse/ > > > On 30 July 2011 02:51, Harel Cain <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Deryck, you should be fine. There are many Israelis (some colleagues of >> mine, for example) who're flying to Malaysia on business with foreign >> passports. I don't even know what the Chelsea incident is, it didn't make >> any headlines over here. >> >> The security questioning is meant to guarantee the safety of air travel >> with El Al, which as you may know has been the target of terror back in the >> 1970s (and since, to a decreased degree), in other words - it's done so you >> can fly safely. El Al is considered the world's most secure airline exactly >> because of its unique methods which are based on interviewing the passengers >> to detect suspicious passengers, instead of forcing 85 year old grannies to >> remove their shoes (TSA method...), which have been in place long before the >> 9/11 attacks, for example. >> >> Because you clearly have no terrorist intentions, there's nothing to worry >> about. Just be very patient, answer the questions frankly and openly, and >> they'll let you in. They won't fly out without you :) >> >> >> >> Harel Cain >> Wikimania 2011 local team >> >> On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 21:43, Deryck Chan <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I'm flying from Hong Kong to Tel Aviv on an El Al flight, holding a >>> British passport with a Malaysian stamp from this January (along with a few >>> other stamps from USA, Taiwan and Japan from previous years). >>> >>> I never thought Malaysia would be an issue other than some questioning by >>> the El Al and Israeli border control, until the Chelsea incident this week >>> made Israel-Malaysia relations somewhat tenser than usual, as I've heard. >>> >>> I doubt that in my case the "formal" letter would make any difference: >>> the automated email has our name and personal itinerary printed on it, so if >>> that doesn't get me through, I doubt any other paperwork from WMIL will... >>> >>> >>> On 30 July 2011 02:29, Harel Cain <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Unless you come from a potentially problematic country (for example one >>>> which doesn't have diplomatic relations with Israel, or just one which is >>>> rather exotic for incoming tourism), the printout of the automated mail you >>>> got from us should be fine, and even that shouldn't be necessary. It's just >>>> something you can show during the security questioning, which normally >>>> occurs only on El Al flights. >>>> >>>> We prepared personalized "formal" letters of invitation upon request for >>>> quite a few people. However I'm rather disinclined to prepare more and more >>>> of them. If you are from the USA or the EU or other Western countries I >>>> really think they're not necessary. >>>> >>>> These things are really a matter of chance - I heard the one attendee >>>> from Czech Republic had a few problems (everything is fine, nothing >>>> serious), while the South Americans went through everything without any >>>> problem at all. >>>> >>>> Please seriously consider if you really need them before asking for such >>>> personalized letters (requests please send to one of the OTRS queues). >>>> >>>> >>>> Harel Cain >>>> Wikimania 2011 local team >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 20:08, Deryck Chan <[email protected]>wrote: >>>> >>>>> ...and how many copies of each! >>>>> On Jul 30, 2011 1:07 AM, "Laura James" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> > Hi, thanks for the great advice - yes, please do let us know which >>>>> document >>>>> > would be the most helpful to print. And any other tips! :-) >>>>> > Thank you, >>>>> > Laura >>>>> > >>>>> > On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 8:17 AM, Kim Bruning <[email protected]> >>>>> wrote: >>>>> > >>>>> >> On Fri, Jul 29, 2011 at 07:49:31PM +0900, KIZU Naoko wrote: >>>>> >> > Hi from Tel Aviv suburb. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > I strongly recommend to follow Manuel. Also the letter from the >>>>> >> > organizing team may help. >>>>> >> > >>>>> >> > At security check in AMS I met difficulty , since then I left all >>>>> the >>>>> >> > copy of registration team and also had no copy. >>>>> >> >>>>> >> > document on my registration to the confenrence or a document from >>>>> WMF. >>>>> >> >>>>> >> Hmm, good point, what document would be handiest to print out? (I'll >>>>> check >>>>> >> my mail) >>>>> >> >>>>> >> -- >>>>> >> [Non-pgp mail clients may show pgp-signature as attachment] >>>>> >> gpg (www.gnupg.org) Fingerprint for key FEF9DD72 >>>>> >> 5ED6 E215 73EE AD84 E03A 01C5 94AC 7B0E FEF9 DD72 >>>>> >> >>>>> >> _______________________________________________ >>>>> >> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>> >> [email protected] >>>>> >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>> >> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur. >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>>> [email protected] >>>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>>> >>>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>> [email protected] >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>> >>> >> >> >> -- >> Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur. >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> [email protected] >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> >> >
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