Avoiding Israeli Stamp
 

There's lots of confusion about this, and little information (or I've been a bad "Hubber" and simply haven't searched hard enough). Here's what I've just done (with much thanks to Gareth who did it a few weeks before me!)...

Crossing from Jordan to Israel via the King Hussein Bridge, it IS possible to avoid an exit stamp from Jordan and the Israeli stamp in your passport. (This works because Jordan considers this territory Palestine, not Israel, or something like that. In fact, they may even consider it as part of their territory. I'm not sure.) Anyway, it is NOT possible to ride across this bridge.

So, in order to avoid the stamp, you must leave your vehicle in Jordan at a pay-park place (they're easy to find) and cross without your bike. BOOO!

But it's still not simple. You will likely be told by Israeli border guards (as I was) that EVERYONE gets a stamp in their passport and that there are NO exceptions. But, if you find the right person in the right mood and have a convincing story (like, you're continuing to Africa with a motorcycle and you need to pass through Sudan or Libya) you can cross with no stamp.

Of course, that leaves you in Israel without a motorcycle. And you must leave Israel via the same border crossing before your Jordanian visa expires to avoid having Jordan stamp you back in or issue a fresh visa (which would be a dead giveaway that you've been to some "mysterious" place.)

I hope this helps. And, I hope it works for me... I'm still in Israel (with no stamp!) and haven't made it back to my bike, yet. We'll see.

Has anyone (within the last, say, year) made it into Israel WITH their bike and WITHOUT a stamp? I'd love to hear about it!

Stamp a piece of paper
 

Don't go in if they insist on stamping your passport - it will prevent you entering a number of Arab countries.

I flew into Israel a few years back and I asked them politely not to stamp my passport and I told them I was planning a trip and some countries would refuse me entry. They had no problem with this - Most Israelies I met have done alot of travel and respect and appreciate people on the road and especially people coming to see their country.

They obliged me by stapling a piece of paper into my passport and stamping that.

If you get a ***** of a boarder guard that insists on stamping you passport - then ask for his seargent or superior - don't let him stamp it!!!

Just be careful in relation to the Jordanian stamp you get - make sure that it dosen't reference the boarder you went through - or a switched on guy in Libya or somewhere that don't like the Israel stamp might "infer or deduct" that you've been to the promised land.

Israel has some good places to visit and has to be the most racially diverse place I've ever been to. The people were very friendly.

Be sure and have a few nights in Tel-a-vive - great party city. Theres an Irish bar right beside the American Embassy - the most bombed pub in the world as its the closest anyone can get to the embassy in a truck. Kindea puts an edge to the drink.

Good luck

Niallo

we was entering israel in 2007 /sept in border corssing aqaba/eilat if you tell on border that you want stamp on separate paper they will ask why, and thats all, we get the stamp on separtae paper without papee. than we are going to egypt. we tak tho motorbike together because we was shipping bike from egypt to prague. there will be problem with outgoing stamp in carnet (you can use 2nd passport for you) this you can fix by two carnets.

And to all of you riders entering Israel
 

Yes, one can ask not to stamp his passport entering here as Niallo writes.


Give me a call if any more info is needed.
I'm on the HUBB allmost daily.

Yoni