At zero hours one minute on Sept. 20 comes into force on visa-free regime between Israel and Russia. Since then, citizens of two countries that have general civil passports, can enter, respectively, on the Israeli and the Russian territory and stay there without visas for 90 days. True, citizens with diplomatic and service passports will have to continue to issue visas. In Israel, an influx of guests preparing very active.
Interior Minister Meir Shitrit at a press conference, specially convened in connection with a mutual waiver of Tel Aviv and Moscow from visa requirements, said that "from now removed another obstacle to the expansion and deepening of contacts between the two countries." Simultaneously, Shitrit said that both Russian and Israeli border guards reserve the right not to allow its territory nationals in respect of which law enforcement conducts investigations. Therefore, those who at least once he was deported from Israel, should be on the safe side to get at the consulate prior permission.
In Israel expect to increase the flow of tourists and pilgrims visiting the holy places. For example, Yaacov Badri, the owner of a hotel in Netanya Mediterranean, expands the number of hotel beds by renovating old buildings and the construction of another complex. He said "NO", that his main hope - increasing the number of Russians who decided to visit the Holy Land, to 300 thousand people per year (there are only about 150 thousand).
However, there is one "but" - labor shortages in the tourism industry. Rafi Ben Khouri, Deputy Director General Ministry of Tourism, said recently in a live radio station "REKA", broadcasting in Russian, that his department is being carried out urgently, "Job Fair" to fill the 5 thousand jobs in the hotel industry of the country. Of course, the ministry and private entrepreneurs will prefer the Russian-speaking workers. They even explicitly say they are willing to hike wages. Nevertheless, Ben Khouri doubt that the "Russian" "go into the maids." According to him, natives of Russia, constituting the most educated part of Israeli society, "the service sector are trying to sidestep».
To increase the flow of pilgrims also prepare Orthodox monasteries and temples. In Capernaum, a temple on the shore of Lake Kinneret (Tiverdiadskom lake), the holy fathers themselves renovating the building and even clean the toilets. But they are not sure that will have time to complete repairs by the end of September. Tour Operator Sophia Merezhko of Rehovot, which is still summer, told "NO" predicted a certain shortage of tickets due to cancellation of visas with Russia today is more optimistic: "Airlines have increased the number of flights to Moscow and other Russian cities, so that the tickets especially do not worry ».
is important to note that the parity agreement on visa-free regime with Russia, Israel has signed, but not with the United States, its main ally. With Washington in Tel Aviv are not equal, and even to some extent a humiliating one-sided agreement, under which Americans can come into a Jewish State without a visa, but the Israelis who want to wander through the American expanse, you need a visa to worry. Obtaining a U.S. visa is - obviously a complicated procedure.
In the Israeli Foreign Ministry believes that a visa-free regime with Russia only "first signs" in the way of denial of visa requirements by all countries in the CIS. Israelis have long may visit Canada, European Union, the Baltic States without visas. Recently dropped visa requirements for mutual trips to Albania and Macedonia. Apparently, in the near future agreements on visa-free regime of Israel will sign with Ukraine and Moldova.

Irina Tyurina, a spokesman for the Russian Union of Travel Industry:
- Cancel Visa regime with Israel will increase the number of Russian tourists visiting this country, about one-third. I must say that last year the Israeli line and already has increased by 95%. Greater growth than the third, we can not expect that the Israeli infrastructure already barely cope with the influx of tourists. Particularly acute problem with availability in hotels.

Valentin Boynik, Jerusalem
Prepared Sergei Kostyaev
Photo: Maxim Shamota