Israel tightens travel advisory for Armenia over terrorist threats

Israel has raised its travel threat level for citizens heading to Armenia to level two, following mounting concerns over the increasing danger posed to Israelis and Jews in the country by terrorist groups.

The National Security Headquarters issued the warning due to a growing atmosphere of anti-Semitism within Armenia, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

Such warnings come against the backdrop of the ongoing anti-Semitism that rages in Armenian society. Of particular concern is the October 2023 attack on a synagogue in Yerevan by the Armenian terrorist group ASALA. The group also attempted to set the synagogue on fire in November. ASALA issued a threatening statement, saying, "Jews are the sworn enemies of Armenia and its people... Every rabbi will be on our radar." Armenia's Chief Rabbi Gershon Burstein described the attackers' attempts to set fire to the synagogue for 40 minutes, marking it as the first such arson attack outside the Middle East since October 7.

The president of the Conference of European Rabbis (CER) condemned the lack of action by Armenian authorities, calling for the arrest of ASALA members and increased protection for the Jewish community. He warned that if Jewish blood was spilled, the responsibility would fall on the Armenian government. Despite these calls, no arrests have been made.

Israeli Ambassador to Armenia Yoel Lyon has also urged the Armenian government to unequivocally condemn all forms of anti-Semitism, conduct a full investigation into the attacks, and ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice. The Jerusalem Post has reported that Armenia is considered the most anti-Semitic country in the post-Soviet space, with 58% of the population holding anti-Semitic views.

In addition, the glorification of Nazism continues to be a troubling issue in Armenia. In 2016, a monument to Garegin Nzhdeh, an Armenian collaborator with Nazi Germany, was erected in Yerevan.

Alongside the increased threat level for Armenia, Israel also raised its travel warning for the Maldives to level three (moderate threat) due to the presence of terrorist sympathizers on the islands and growing hostility towards Israelis and Jews. Travellers are advised to avoid non-essential trips to the Maldives.

By Tamilla Hasanova