In response to our recent reports on student groups and missions arriving in Israel of late, we received the following response, which is reflective of other responses we have received in the past:

"I applaud the students, missions, etc. who come [to Israel]. However, there are still a large number of people who are coming as individuals. They come for family celebrations, they come to visit children who are learning in Israel, or they come (as I do) because they love Israel, have always spent vacation time there and wouldn't consider spending it elsewhere. I think it would be really nice if occasionally, Arutz-7 acknowledged all the visitors who are coming, staying with relatives, renting apartments, not necessarily touring, but shopping at Supersol and the Co-op, renting cars, riding the buses, attending the cultural events that are off the tourist track, etc. Not only do these people deserve an occasional pat on the back, but it would also show readers that these people STILL exist. Not everyone who is visiting is going on a tour, with armed guards and riding in only armored buses as they travel downtown Jerusalem!"