Mayors at Jerusalem Conference Extol Safety of Israel for Tourist Travel

Thirteen international mayors attending a conference here last week presented a resolution to Prime Minister Shimon Peres expressing their appreciation of Israel’s security at a time when instability and terrorism in the Middle East “has gripped our cities and nations,” and encouraging their countrymen to show support for peace in the region by “visiting, vacationing and travelling to the great democratic nation of Israel.”

Mayors from the United States, Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg and Norway spent a week in Israel for the seventh annual Jerusalem Conference of Mayors sponsored by the U.S. Congress, the United States Conference of Mayors and the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies.

The resolution by the mayors stated: “We have come to the end of what has been for all of us a very constructive and personally rewarding experience. We came to Israel at a time when concern for safety and security of tourist travel has gripped our cities and nations.

“After flying to Israel, travelling its roads and walking its streets, we are impressed by the physical and spiritual qualities of Israel in general and the city of Jerusalem in particular. And, beyond this, we are impressed by Jerusalem’s atmosphere of security and friendliness.

“To all of our colleagues, friends and fellow citizens, we can, based on our own experience, offer our counsel: There are many good reasons to travel to Israel, and concern for safety is not a reason to stay away.

“Therefore, be it resolved that we unanimously join together to promote and encourage our citizens, our fellow countrymen, and all the people of the world to endorse our ideals and hopes for an overall peace in this area of the hopes for an overall peace in this area of the world by visiting, vacationing and travelling to the great democratic nation of Israel.”