An Israeli bus. Photo: Mattes via Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Following the recent uptick in Palestinian terrorism, the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv has issued an Emergency Message for U.S. Citizens, prohibiting U.S. citizen embassy employees and their families from taking public transportation—including shared minibus taxis—and urging Americans in Israel to “exercise caution and take appropriate measures to ensure their safety and security.”

The message, published on the embassy’s website and Facebook page, comes in the wake of the bus bombing in Bat Yam on Sunday, in which passenger vigilance averted a tragedy. The restriction on taking shared minibus taxis is in place for two weeks to allow U.S. officials to assess the security situation.

Meanwhile, Israeli tourist organizations are also concerned by the recent increase in Palestinian terrorist activities, fearing an impact on Israel’s tourism sector.

“The sense is that we have to expand our efforts to market Israel to the world,” said Israel Hotels Association Director-General Shmuel Tzurel.