but the invitees are rather ungracious. Israel should just tell them that the offer stands for invitee and one guest and additional guests will have to provide for their own accomodation. Ridiculous to the point of hillarious.

#28. Dear Leo, please move to this country first, successfully survive here for many years and then we might possibly consider your greatest and smartest advice of getting a better job!!!

Israeli tourism officials ( like officials in some other countries ) sought to profit from the publicity which would surround the visit of these famous miners. You'd have to be naive and almost immune to cynicism to believe the Israeli offer would be perceived by the world as anything other than a self-interested PR stunt. It has now back-fired. Israeli news sites will carry stories like this one mocking the miners. Israeli talk-backers will rise to the occasion and call the miners ''ingrates'' and ''losers'' Ynet talk-backers frequently demonise Roman Catholics so the chances of the poor old miners ( who would have been happy to enjoy Xmas at home with their kids anyway ) having a nice time in the homeland of the Ynet Talkbackers must be close to zero. And Israel's charming rabbis are probably making ''dont rent to miners'' signs as I speak

Great Attitude!