1. INTRODUCTION
Before traveling to Israel, my friends and I had big doubts about driving around the country: we didn’t know if we were going to need an International driving license, if it was going to be safe crossing Palestinian territories, if it was going to be ok to leaving the car at the wadi Araba border before moving to Jordan, etc.
As the information on the Internet is varied, in this post I want to share my recent experience (2020).
I hope you find it useful.
2. DRIVING IN ISRAEL
Do you need an international driving license to drive in Israel?
Although we had them, our rental car companies did NOT ask for them (Europcar and Cal Auto).
Is it possible to drive from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by car through Palestinian territories (road 3)?
Yes. In fact at no time will you pass any physical boundaries. There are not checkpoint or anything similar.
Is it possible to go from Jerusalem to Ein Bokek (Dead Sea) through Palestinian territories (direct route on roads 1 and 90)?
Yes. On this route we only passed a checkpoint and they didn’t stop us. It is a completely normal road full of Israeli license plates and the roads are in good condition. If you had planned to surround the entire Palestinian territory to reach the Dead Sea, you’re welcome. 😉
Is it ok to leave the rental car on the southern border with Jordan (Wadi Araba border)?
Yes, there is a huge free outdoor parking just 100-200 meters from the Jordan border. You can leave the car without worries. We left the cars three days there and we had no problems.
3. DO YOU HAVE ANY ADDITIONAL DOUBT?
These are the main questions we had and I wanted to share them with you guys, but if you have any other questions related to driving in Israel or with Israel in general, share it in the comments and I will help you with what I know/can. Have a good trip! 🚙
