News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Large numbers of tourists flocked to sites in Judea and Samaria on Thursday, leading local tourist organizations to announce that tourism in the area has returned to the level of seven years ago, before the outbreak of intense Muslim violence in the area following the Oslo accords. Some tourist sites in the area were forced to turn visitors away after exceeding their maximum capacity.

One of the most-visited sites was the ancient village of Susiya, near Hevron, which has been restored, and allows visitors to get a glimpse of Jewish life as it was thousands of years ago. Actors and guides did their best to recreate the past for the thousands of tourists who arrived on Thursday.

Many tourists chose to avoid the main historical sites, and preferred to set out on nature hikes throughout the region. High numbers of tourists are expected to arrive on Friday as well, and for the rest of the Pesach (Passover) holiday.