Israel is home to key sites of the three major monotheistic religions in the world, and whether you subscribe to one of them or not there's certainly a lot of religious history to be seen, experienced and appreciated here. Walking the route that Christ did on the way to his crucifixion, visiting the wall of the ancient Jewish temple or marveling at the beautiful Dome of the Rock - all of them left me with a real sense of being in a place where history had been made.
It's also a place to come and see the story behind the headlines. It won't always prove to be the easiest of destinations, but having visited left me feeling like I have at least a bit more of a grasp of some of the issues facing that part of the world. At times, I could almost feel the hostilities that bubble under the surface, and the heavy security presence is a reminder that many seek to harm. That said, at no point did I feel like I was in a great deal of danger, and most people were very kind and welcoming (the Israeli family I had the privilege of staying with especially so). Sure, there are risks - how much depending on where you choose to visit - but I think the rewards of visiting Israel certainly outweigh them.
Israel isn't just a country of great historical interest, but also in many places a really quite beautiful one too. Not only is there some great religious architecture, but the winding train journey from Tel Aviv towards Jerusalem goes through some nice countryside, and the Ramon crater in the Negev desert is stunning. And while I haven't had chance to visit it yet, I was told by Israelis that the north of the country also has some beautiful places too.
