[quote user="gerrit" post="91147"]Those friends of mine, who really want to go to Israel and had no other countries of interest, went a bit further and one is now converting because she ran out of other options.[/quote]

must be a very strange friend if they changed religion just to get a job there.
I spent a year working there and to save causing offense to some because I have strong views about apartheid, let me just say there are much better places to go.

Yes i would agree, nice country but if i don't know people who would change their religion to go, i mean if you are wanting a European Med culture there are plenty of other options with much less hassle, to take Lebanon as an example. Like becoming a Muslim because you have an urge to work a normal job in Mecca or Medina.

Have you been to any of the countries that you reference? Are you at all familiar with the region and what actually occurs on the ground? Also I find it quite rich that someone who wanted to take a call center job in Turkey would be disparaging of the work sectors easily open to foreigners in Israel. I think that you would find that if you actually got on the ground there and started pounding the pavement that you'd find a lot of options and scenarios.

Yes, many countries will issue second passports to their citizens that need to travel generally for business reasons to both sides of the divide, generally this means Saudi and Israel, however can be extended to other countries. Hiding behind, "that is what is officially said" is quite weak, as everyone who travels in the reason knows that the UAE could not give a damn, personally I have travelled with my wife to Dubai and she had not only ISraeli stamps but an Israeli visa in her passport and they could not care less, this is the way things are in real life on the ground. Gerrit you can go read all the books yu want on French Cuisine, you can describe what Fois Gras is, but unless you have tasted it, you really do not know what you are talking about.

[quote user="tallpony" post="91171"]Have you been to any of the countries that you reference? Are you at all familiar with the region and what actually occurs on the ground? Also I find it quite rich that someone who wanted to take a call center job in Turkey would be disparaging of the work sectors easily open to foreigners in Israel. I think that you would find that if you actually got on the ground there and started pounding the pavement that you'd find a lot of options and scenarios.
[/quote]

Maybe so, but relocating without job and without knowing if you get anything soon, is extremely risky. Plus, not everyone succeeds in that job. Talk to people on websites such as Tanglo (orientated to expats in Israel), some people actually jewish needed months to get a job, and that is without the hassle of permits.

[quote user="starman" post="91160"][quote user="gerrit" post="91147"]Those friends of mine, who really want to go to Israel and had no other countries of interest, went a bit further and one is now converting because she ran out of other options.[/quote]

must be a very strange friend if they changed religion just to get a job there.
I spent a year working there and to save causing offense to some because I have strong views about apartheid, let me just say there are much better places to go.[/quote]

I would not change my religion anytime, she does want to do it. It is something I'd never consider, but in the end it's her choice and if she believes it's the right thing to do... well, good luck to her. I am not sure where she found a rabbi to convert her though, as not every rabbi will find emigration wishes a valid reason to convert someone. The rabbi I spoke to numerous times, would never consider that without the person having real religious motives.

[quote user="tallpony" post="91171"]Have you been to any of the countries that you reference? Are you at all familiar with the region and what actually occurs on the ground? Also I find it quite rich that someone who wanted to take a call center job in Turkey would be disparaging of the work sectors easily open to foreigners in Israel. I think that you would find that if you actually got on the ground there and started pounding the pavement that you'd find a lot of options and scenarios.

Yes, many countries will issue second passports to their citizens that need to travel generally for business reasons to both sides of the divide, generally this means Saudi and Israel, however can be extended to other countries. Hiding behind, "that is what is officially said" is quite weak, as everyone who travels in the reason knows that the UAE could not give a damn, personally I have travelled with my wife to Dubai and she had not only ISraeli stamps but an Israeli visa in her passport and they could not care less, this is the way things are in real life on the ground. Gerrit you can go read all the books yu want on French Cuisine, you can describe what Fois Gras is, but unless you have tasted it, you really do not know what you are talking about.[/quote]

Wikipedia look out! You have a serious rival - Tallpedia!

Although wikitravel and wikipedia are okay, I always use Lonely Planet books to prepare trips. Best books available when it comes to travelling, always containing a lot of inside information. Also, travellerspoint.com and bootsnall.com are useful internet resources but I always use Lonely Planet guides as main point of information.

Also Tallpony, I won't question you're right about countries like UAE not minding Israeli passport stamps in practice. De juro however they can. Even if you know that 99% of the time the law is not enforced and they will let you in, it still remains a risk because if you happen to be in that 1% of people who do get rejected then you are in serious trouble. I know, the chances may be slim but still...

You had a much bigger chance of not being allowed into Turkey with the intention to work when you didn't have the proper papers on you. As remote as that chance is/was, your chances of being denied entry into the UAE, and many others is even less. The big countries to watch out for are Syria, Lebanon (wasn't too bad a couple of years ago, but now currently is), Saudi Arabia, Iran, Yemen and Libya