The National Security Council on Monday warned that Israelis traveling abroad may be targets of terror during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
"extraordinary security incidents in the West Bank, Jerusalem and around the country could increase the motivation of terror organizations, to target Israelis abroad," the council said in a travel warning issued ahead of the Muslim holiday and Passover.
In its latest evaluation, the council said Iran is still the biggest instigator of world terror. "Tehran continues its attempts to harm Israelis either directly or through proxies that it employs in a number of countries, in violation of their sovereignty," the council said in its statement as it refers to efforts made by Iran against Jews in Turkey, the Georgian Republic and Cyprus in the past two years.
"We believe Iran will continue to use terrorism as a means to achieve its aims and will attempt to harm Israeli and Jewish targets around the world. The most likely countries where such attempts could be made are the Georgian Republic, Turkey, Bahrain and Azerbaijan, and the UAE, because of their proximity to Iran and Greece and Cyprus as well," the council warns.
"Over the past years, Iranian terror actors attempted to contact Israelis both in Israel and abroad via social media, emails and more, and the NSC has clear guidance available to block such attempts.
Radical Islamist jihadist groups are also a threat. ISIS has recently shown an interest in targeting Israelis and call on members to attempt to do so wherever they can. ISIS is located mostly in Africa but also in the Middle East and Asia," the council said.
The council urges Israelis traveling to the Sinai desert to remain in organized tourist sites where the Egyptian security forces are on watch and avoid traveling into areas in the interior or a stay in secluded locations.
"We call on the Israeli public to continue to travel but use caution and act responsibly," the council said.