Israel (Away) Sat 26th Mar 05

[Beavis]

hi folks! hope you are all keeping well, this site is great, just joined, i have been reading all the comments on the site that i have missed, seems like there are a great bunch of decent football supporters who represent ireland... i need some help or advice, i really want to go to the israel game (maybe i need locking up ) but nobody i know will go cos of the security and cos of other travel plans at easter. are there many people actually going? will any group of people going be willing to take me under their wing? the atmosphere in paris was fascinating, i wish i had been there. we need to create the best and noisiest atmosphere we can in israel and support our boys as i think it will be a tough game, perhaps intimidating, as israel are doing well in the group, they will have extra support from fans that don't usually bother going. it was so disappointing missing out on euro 04, we have to get to deutschland!!! if anyone can help, please reply.
thanks

If you travel with this www.standupfortheboysingreen.com company(although i'm starting to get a bit worried after hearing garys horror stories ) your welcome to join us.Even if not we'd meet you on the town if preferable.Theres only two so,we could use a drinking companion. But no pioneers please, they make me feel guilty

[soylent green]

Anyone know of other package deals?
I'm still undecided on going!

Stephens Green Classic Sports Travel

World Cup Qualifier

ISRAEL
V
Rep. of IRELAND

Tel Aviv – Sat.26th March
SPECIAL 3 Night Tour

DIRECT CHARTER FLIGHT DEPARTS;
Thursday 24th Mar – Dublin 7.00 am
Sunday 27th Mar – Tel Aviv 5.00 pm

*Four Star Hotel Basel - € 769.00 *
*Five Star Hotel Sheraton - € 829.00*
* Guaranteed Match Tickets included*
*All Transfers Airport /Hotel/Stadium*


Notes; Prices based on 2 sharing / Single Room € 89.00 p.n extra / Tax €87.00 / Insurance € 39.00

Excursions Available
Friday 25th Mar – Full day tour to Jerusalem (with guide) € 49.00 pp
Friday 25th Mar – Full day tour to Nazereth (with guide) € 59.00 pp

Call for brochure;
STEPHENS GREEN CLASSIC SPORTS TRAVEL
2 Rampart Lane , Donnybrook , Dublin 4.
Tel; 2837900 Fax; 2602435
Email sports@dkt.ie

Or Celtic Horizon Tours

http://www.celtichorizontours.com/ce...p?iEventID=628

[Green Tribe]

thanks for your kind reply, no worries, i am not a pioneer!! still not sure whether to book the trip now incase it gets moved canx etc, have the agency told u about such a situation? i might leave it a while, but i will let you know if i will become your new drinking companion... hey anyone else going with standupfortheboysingreen.....?

[Green Tribe]

just wanted to say thanks to eldad, your comments have been very helpful, glad they are looking forward to ireland's invasion....

[Eldad]

BTW, I give you a very useful link: http://www.tel-aviv.gov.il/english/home.asp

That is a website of city of Tel Aviv, in English!

[Green Tribe]

thanks again, should be handy, do u know the marina hotel, it looks nice on website, what is the area like?

[Eldad]

thanks again, should be handy, do u know the marina hotel, it looks nice on website, what is the area like?

I have never been in this hotel, but it is located in Hayarkon St which is the area of tourism. That's a good place very close to beach and Ben Yehuda St where many pubs are based.

[Green Tribe]

lovely-jubbly, can imagine the sea turning green with us all swimming about sounds like a good location. pubs, hmmm, beach hmmm... again, if anyone can say for sure that they are going with standupfortheboysingreen, it would help, i think some people are anxious to know if it will be full/half empty plane...? cheers

[IsMiseSean]

Thanks for the links. I want to go badly, but I dont want to go on my own, I need to convince one of my mates to come along!

[Green Tribe]

hey mr galway! , i can't get anyone to go with me either as they are sh*tting themselves cos of location. beavis has offered to befriend me him and friend have already booked, i haven't yet, if u are stuck and really want to go let me/us know, sorry beavis if u were drunk when u offered, maybe now u r regretting it ha ha.

[Green Tribe]

this was on the pples flag website, i am tempted to go for standupfortheboysingreen. beavis mentioned it b4. i just hop the price comes down further.... i imagine they will fill the plane no prob. http://www.thepeoplesflag.com/web/messageboard.asp any updates on plans???

[IsMiseSean]

Thanks for the offer Mr. N.Ireland. I have kinda convinced one of mates to come along, if we go we'll get the 'standupfortheboysingreen' tour. It seems a reasonable price!

[Green Tribe]

good, looks like israel will be more popular than thought. ps i am not a mr.

[Eldad]

Can someone guess how many people have already booked for Israel game?
Or how many supporters will come to Tel-Aviv?

[Green Tribe]

hey eldad! i think there will be more than expected, the group is tight, we need all the support we can get, unfortunately there are 4 teams on 8 points(assuming switzerland win their game in hand) i cannot believe we r in with those jammy swiss knobs again. what's the word over in ur place are many people talking about it.?

[exile]

this makes for interesting reading from the sunday independent


CONAL URQUHART

IN TEL AVIV


THEY are already calling it Operation Green Invasion. Israeli authorities are bracing themselves for the largest influx of sports fans in their history when Irish football fans arrive next year.

The Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv informed local authorities two weeks ago that they could expect at least 15,000 fans for the Ireland-Israel World Cup qualifier although that figure could double.

The Tel Aviv municipality was shocked because since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, it has never had such a large influx of sports fans - for anything.

Kobby Barda, a spokesman for Tel Aviv council said: "The moment we realised how many fans were going to come we decided it was a great opportunity to show the positive side of Israel so we formulated an action plan which we called Operation Green Invasion."

Council officials are engaged in discussion with hotels, travel agents and airlines to guarantee good prices for Irish fans who want to visit Israel for the match.

Economic factors currently favour Irish fans. The Israeli shekel, which is linked to the US dollar, is currently very weak against the euro.

The rate last week was 5.6 shekels to the Euro which makes a pint of Guiness at Tel Aviv's Irish pub, Molly Blooms, €4.1 (23 shekels) but in most other bars a pint of lager costs €3.2 (18 shekels). Tourism in Israel has been blighted by terrorism since the outbreak of the second Intifada in 2000.

The country became a byword for suicide bombings but in the last year the incidence of bombings has been reduced massively. It is expected that next year the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will remain calm as the Palestinians adjust to life after the death of Yasser Arafat.

Mahmoud Abbas, who is expected to become the next Palestinian leader after elections in January 9, vowed last week to halt all violence. Meanwhile, Israeli politics next year is likely to be dominated by internal disputes.

The match on March 26 takes place on Easter weekend which coincides with the Jewish festival of Purim - the biggest celebration in the Israeli year when the Jews celebrate their escape from attack in Babylon more than 2,000 years ago.

I Kobby Barda said: "This is like nothing we have experienced before. Ireland is a big market and we want to take advantage of this situation and find out more about it. We want to lay out some very warm Israeli hospitality."

He said that the council was working on a series of measures to encourage Irish fans to visit and ways to make their stay more interesting and economical.

These include: a special English edition of the Time Out listings magazine for Irish fans which will be available on flights and at hotels free of charge; Irish tricolours will be flying on lampposts from the seafront to the stadium; 50 billboards welcoming Irish fans; free guided tours around Tel Aviv and Jaffa; a massive open air party on the Friday before the game.

In addition, the council is in discussion with hoteliers, airlines and travel agencies to make travel and accommodation cheaper for fans.

"We are extremely excited at the prospect. We know of the reputation of Irish fans so we want to make their stay as good as possible," said Barda.

Irish fans can expect a host of attractions in Tel Aviv. The city is built on the beach and summer begins in March. There are no restrictions on drinking or smoking. It is possible to eat and drink 24 hours a day.

For those interested in history and politics, Jerusalem is just a 50-minute drive, and the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem are a short distance beyond.

Robert Segal, a Dubliner who opened Molly Blooms four years ago, said he was overjoyed when Israel were placed in the same group as Ireland. "I have followed Ireland all over the world and it's fantastic they are coming here.

"There's a lot of anti-Israeli sentiment in Ireland and this is an opportunity for people to see that there's more to this place than conflict.

"I have had friends calling me non-stop from Ireland inquiring about tickets and accomodation."

Etty Gargir, the director of the Association for Tourism in Tel Aviv and Jaffa said: "There is something for people of every budget here."

[GalwayFrancis]

this makes for interesting reading from the sunday independent


CONAL URQUHART

IN TEL AVIV


THEY are already calling it Operation Green Invasion. Israeli authorities are bracing themselves for the largest influx of sports fans in their history when Irish football fans arrive next year.

The Irish Embassy in Tel Aviv informed local authorities two weeks ago that they could expect at least 15,000 fans for the Ireland-Israel World Cup qualifier although that figure could double.

The Tel Aviv municipality was shocked because since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948, it has never had such a large influx of sports fans - for anything.

Kobby Barda, a spokesman for Tel Aviv council said: "The moment we realised how many fans were going to come we decided it was a great opportunity to show the positive side of Israel so we formulated an action plan which we called Operation Green Invasion."

Council officials are engaged in discussion with hotels, travel agents and airlines to guarantee good prices for Irish fans who want to visit Israel for the match.

Economic factors currently favour Irish fans. The Israeli shekel, which is linked to the US dollar, is currently very weak against the euro.

The rate last week was 5.6 shekels to the Euro which makes a pint of Guiness at Tel Aviv's Irish pub, Molly Blooms, €4.1 (23 shekels) but in most other bars a pint of lager costs €3.2 (18 shekels). Tourism in Israel has been blighted by terrorism since the outbreak of the second Intifada in 2000.

The country became a byword for suicide bombings but in the last year the incidence of bombings has been reduced massively. It is expected that next year the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will remain calm as the Palestinians adjust to life after the death of Yasser Arafat.

Mahmoud Abbas, who is expected to become the next Palestinian leader after elections in January 9, vowed last week to halt all violence. Meanwhile, Israeli politics next year is likely to be dominated by internal disputes.

The match on March 26 takes place on Easter weekend which coincides with the Jewish festival of Purim - the biggest celebration in the Israeli year when the Jews celebrate their escape from attack in Babylon more than 2,000 years ago.

I Kobby Barda said: "This is like nothing we have experienced before. Ireland is a big market and we want to take advantage of this situation and find out more about it. We want to lay out some very warm Israeli hospitality."

He said that the council was working on a series of measures to encourage Irish fans to visit and ways to make their stay more interesting and economical.

These include: a special English edition of the Time Out listings magazine for Irish fans which will be available on flights and at hotels free of charge; Irish tricolours will be flying on lampposts from the seafront to the stadium; 50 billboards welcoming Irish fans; free guided tours around Tel Aviv and Jaffa; a massive open air party on the Friday before the game.

In addition, the council is in discussion with hoteliers, airlines and travel agencies to make travel and accommodation cheaper for fans.

"We are extremely excited at the prospect. We know of the reputation of Irish fans so we want to make their stay as good as possible," said Barda.

Irish fans can expect a host of attractions in Tel Aviv. The city is built on the beach and summer begins in March. There are no restrictions on drinking or smoking. It is possible to eat and drink 24 hours a day.

For those interested in history and politics, Jerusalem is just a 50-minute drive, and the Palestinian cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem are a short distance beyond.

Robert Segal, a Dubliner who opened Molly Blooms four years ago, said he was overjoyed when Israel were placed in the same group as Ireland. "I have followed Ireland all over the world and it's fantastic they are coming here.

"There's a lot of anti-Israeli sentiment in Ireland and this is an opportunity for people to see that there's more to this place than conflict.

"I have had friends calling me non-stop from Ireland inquiring about tickets and accomodation."

Etty Gargir, the director of the Association for Tourism in Tel Aviv and Jaffa said: "There is something for people of every budget here."

good damn, i wish i wasnt in leaving cert, otherwise i would be there.

[IsMiseSean]

I hope 15,000 fans travel, but I doubt there will be that many going over. Does anyone know how many tickets will be made available to the FAI?

[Eldad]

I hope 15,000 fans travel, but I doubt there will be that many going over. Does anyone know how many tickets will be made available to the FAI?

About 5,000 tickets... but more tickets are possible if the IFA will open a stand behind the goal (only for this game) that police usually doesn't permit to open it.

[Beavis]

Unfortunately the Israeli officials are going to get quite a shock when nowhere near 15k show up.We appreciate the effort but people aren't keen on going.The Swiss brought less than 50 people and although we'll be in much greater force,there'll be no major invasion like the French game.