Intoxicated Israelis misbehave
Photo: AP
Unruly Israelis run wild in Cyprus
More than 10 Israeli youths detained in Cyprus in recent days over reckless behavior
More than 10 young Israelis were detained at the Ayia Napa resort in Cyprus in recent days on charges of drunk driving and unruly behavior at clubs and hotels.
Several other Israeli youngsters were held at the Larnaca International Airport after misbehaving and being rude to local police. Some of the Israelis were sent back to Israel.
Israel's embassy in Cyprus informed the Foreign Ministry that in recent days it has been receiving almost daily reports about Israeli groups being detained. In all cases, the youths in question traveled to Cyprus ahead of their military service. According to the reports, the unruly behavior starts at the airport upon arrival, with young Israelis swearing at local police who reprimand them for misbehaving.
Some of the youths are believed to be drunk on arrival to Cyprus after consuming alcohol during the one-hour flight from Israel.
Several Israelis have been slapped with fines by Cypriot judges over their reckless conduct. In one case, three Israelis were detained on suspicion of stealing from another tourist at their hostel. However, the youths were released after one of them informed a local judge his mother was killed in a terror attack.
Israeli embassy officials are warning that local officials' patience is wearing thin and that unruly Israelis are expected to be punished severely. However, travel agents in Israel say that the number of cases of vandalism by Israeli youths is going down.
"Several years ago, not a day would go by without us receiving complaints from hotels, rental car agencies, restaurants, and resort managers," a travel agent who specializes in vacations for youths said. "However, in the past two years, such cases have become rare and unusual. I think the teenagers have matured. Some of them traveled abroad before with their parents, and their behavior has improved."
