This is completely true except for the fact that I have never met a "good"Israeli abroad. I think all israelis act this way and it is only magnified when they are out of their own country. And those israelis that wear dreadlocks, and filthy fisherman pants, "Shandis," the look is getting old, get a new style.

At least these Israelis don't follow the Arab example of blowing up buses and flying planes into buildings. Talk about rudeness....But in all seriousness, Israelis are generally rude and they generally know that they are rude. I guess if you lived in Israel, then its survival of the fittest.

Nicola, You've identified a very important part of Israeli Hasbara. One need not work in the Foreign Ministry in order to help improve Israel's image in the world. And one certainly need not work there in order to do extensive damage to that reputation. The Israeli world traveler would be wise to heed your loving criticisms.

In my experiences from travelling in both South America and India there are indeed two main groups of Israeli backpackers as the writer states. Not all israelis travelling are noisy, seek to bargain everthing down to the last rupee, or just want to mix with other Israelis. Unfortuntately the group that does the above stands out and gives ALL Israelis travelling a bad name. On countless occasions as a (then) non-Israeli Jew I have had to act as an ambassador for Israelis to British, Australian, Scandanavian backpackers explaining and almost justifying Israeli behaviour - -(the army, the political situation etc etc). It is great that Israeli youth as a whole travel, see the world and let off steam after 2-3 years in the army but plain bad behaviour need not be part of the package....

...and definitely not the last time we will read such letter. Couple of years back there was a similar letter, this time from Sweden... almost exact same words. I am affraid there is nothing to do with this, you cant educate them to respect others, trust me, it goes the same for their behavour back home.. same people honk the horns of their cars once they see a girl passing by, scream at the cashier at the supermarket, the list goes on and on... I can only pity the local population who has to suffer this on a daily bases.

Israel, if you only knew the impression Israelis (mostly, but not only ,the young) make overseas. Whether its European hoteliers voting Israelis as the rudest guests, or young people working illegally in other countries during their post-army trips, or simply the above-described rude behavior in Guatemala (I have seen this personally), you have to realize that behavior that is OK here is LO BESEDER in other countries. Sad to say, here in Israel you can always tell when an Israeli family has spent a significant amount of time in the States... they are kinder, quieter, more patient. Please help Israel's image abroad (and, come to think of it, here too! -- most tourists, when you talk to them long enough about what Israel is like, will eventually shift in their seats uncomfortably and admit they are, uh, surprised at how they are treated by sabras) by teaching children such antiquated notions as courtesy, kindness, patience, and the ability not to be the loudest, most obnoxious people in any one place.

always remember who you are and who you represent

that's exactly the problem...the bad ones wont care about what you wrote. they dont care about the impression they are making at others and they think there is something wrong with you that you actually care.....dont even bother getting upset about it.

It's very true. If Israelis want to associate with only Israelis abroad thats fine (although it kind of defeats the purpose of traveling abroad). But most of the "bad" kind you described are completely oblivious to the image they are projecting. They have the "no one can tell me how to behave" attitude so common among young Israelis... It is a shame because many Israeli travelers are the exact opposite...

My dear friend, it is not only the Israeli backpackers that are behaving rude, loud and are a shame to their country, even Israelies that go to luxury hotels/resorts are behaving the same en even worse they have their little kids with them that behave like wild indians. You can't change them, look how they behave in their own country, on the road, cutting the line, talking loud on their mobile phones etc. Just accept it, and be smart, I always take vacations in countries where Israelies can't go or are to scared to go...I have dual Nationality lucky me :))))))

I didn't check the Hebrew Ynet, but English Ynet is definately the wrong place to educate the "bad" Israeli backpacker.

Working in the Israeli hotal industry in the past I can relate to the article. Many Israeli tourists staying in jerusalem hotals often leave enough trash in their rooms to fill 5 large trash bags(this is only after a weekend stay), steal the countless towels (that were taken from the maid's cart) anything on the maids trolley is fair game : soap, shampoo anything the maid found.(even if left in the chambermaids closet) sheets, pillow cases, pillows, bed covers, remote control, even silverware from room service. The israeli guests usually stay in the room til 11 or 12 hindering the cleaning process, then arrive back at 2 or 3 expecting everything to be cleaned "tip top" or let you clean while the room is still being occupied and instruct you on how to clean. The list goes on... and to top this off not one tip is left!

Bad apples are around everywhere... Yes, even in Holland!!! But Nicola's story sounds so familiar... I travelled extensively around the world, especially in S-E Asia. Although lots of Dutchies feel this connection with Israelis, I felt shocked when I first encountered these Israeli "gangs" in Asia... So loud, so rude, but most of all so respectless towards the local community... (which is so hard to understand, as S-E Asians are such beautiful people)... My luck was that I ultimately ended up with the most beautiful girl in Israel, who taught me and showed me other sides of Israeli identity... one I appreciate very much...(toda, Michal!) I only hope that those who dont have the fortune dating an Israeli, but encountered the same as I did when travelling, will be able to make the distinction between the good and bad apples .... And when they encounter a few of those bad ones... well, just leave them alone...

This should be in Hebrew ynet. Wow, the comments that would fly in the talkback section insulting you ...they cant take criticism, specially when every word of it is true.

"...a lot of people are getting the wrong impression about this country..." - and if it wasn't the wrong impression?

yet again, another reason why i left israel. a country totally void of human decency. it's nice to hear that they're bringing their special brand of hospitality to the rest of the world.

we're not better, not worse.

I have been here for over 20 years and without a doubt Israelis have the worst reputation both with Guatemalans and fellow travelers. I too have met lots of polite and interesting Israelis; but on the whole, hearing Hebrew is a cue to run the other way.

Drunk, disorderly, violent, vomiting, abusive. And that's when they're relatively moderate. Every country has its badly behaved travellers.

Good point, however the brits who behave like that are generally on package holidays to ibiza, spain and areas of greece and will never have the wider vision to go somewhere too 'foreign' so as long as you avoid those areas you're ok - but I must admit on the whole I'm offended on a daily basis in Israelis so count yourself lucky you only encounter hordes of of lower class brits every now and again :)

16- I understand you've had some bad experiences in Israel. Too bad you never experienced the warmer side of Israelis. "Totally devoid of human decency" is a stupid thing to say. 17- Yes we ARE better and we ARE worse. Israelis are by far the warmest, kindest, most fun-loving people I've met. At the same time they are also the rudest, loudest, and most inconsiderate. Unfortunately, when travelling abroad, most Israelis tend to project primarily the latter three.

First than all ,I want to say that it might be true what she is saying about Israelis,but the biggest problem,is related to Jewish/Israel prejudice-wheater she likes it or not-,because there are other noisy and uneducated groups ,like russians and brasilians ,for exemple,and nobody complain as much as when are Israelis(Jews). I am a traveller lover,and I backpacked to India ,to south asia, and met a lot of Israelis. The truth is that where Israelis are ALWAYS became the most interesting places to go and to stay,but people complain about them,and at the same time copy everything Israelis discover and do!It is disgusting! Every body that travels in big groups are noisy and exagerated and uneducated,especially because they are youngs,but the problem is another..is Jewish /Israel,I repeat. That's why I think we shouldn't care and give a pummm(fart!) for them! If people don't like us,f@###@k them! This is the reality! That's why Israel has to be proud of itself and to do what is the best for itself and give a damn for others.If they like us,good,if don't f###k them! Enough of people judging our attitudes!Enough!!! That's why,again,Israel MUST strength itself and STOP caring and wishing being loved for others!They never will,or better saying,they will in the day we will give them a good despise! ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My fellow brasilians ,and the russians too, do the same.Why don't you complain about them???

May I gently tell you you are an enourmous idiot?

You should use only your "OTHER"nationallity,and of course ,leave Israel ,as you hate so much their behavior.You must be very stupid to keep living there!

Did I already tell you you are an idiot? Just to be sure....

the behavior of most Israelis was the major reason why I didn't like Israel when I first went to live there, and I'm going back quite a number of years ago. That feeling never left me. Most of the Israelis I had met in New York were darn obnoxious, but I decided that should not deter me. After all, couldn't be that these people represented Israeli society in general. How very wrong I was. it was this air of superiority that Israelis were better than everyone, else, and in Israeli society, most Israeli Jews do consider themselves better than those who are not Jews. Israeli Jews even had the attitude that they were better than any Jew from anywhere else, especially Americans. I do recall how Americans were typically called lazy, that they didn't have to work hard, etc. I've traveled a lot of this world, and Israel was my great disappointment, also because of the racist attitudes that went along with their obnoxiousness. Yes, there are certainly decent Israelis who are not obnoxious and racist, but very few that I know of. .

there is a very good saying about israel and mmay apply here . it goes like this what we do we do better than anyone ese could ever do but what we do badley we really mess up.

I've been following the responses to Nicole's letter and also the response printed on Hebrew Y-NET. As the mother of 4, one of them traveling abroad right now, I believe that many Israelis don't know how to act respectfully away from home simply because the secular society here (which I'm part of) is so totally permissive towards kids. This is the reason that the schools are so out of control. Israeli parents will accept and even justify nearly any bahavior on the part of their kids. Secular Jews here have turned psycologists into the new priesthood/witch doctors and of course they are a huge waste of money and a bad substitue for real discipline and values. The IDF is one of the few places in life here that any discipline is applied at all and even here pretty much a failure. Most people think that Israel is protected in spite of the IDF and not neccessarily thanks to it because we can see up close how badly many parts of it are managed. My theory is that the Jewish people were under the heavy hand of religious Judaism for so long that this is the reaction of secular Jews who don't want anyone telling them what to do or how to live!

You mean you've never seen the behavior of religious children and youth on an El-Al plane? They are no better than any other Israeli's children.