Israelis ordered to urgently leave tourist areas of Sri Lanka due to terrorist threat | Sri Lanka

Israel’s National Security Council has warned Israelis to immediately leave popular tourist areas in southern Sri Lanka following threats of a possible terrorist attack.

According to India’s National Security Council, Sri Lankan authorities have informed them of a “terrorist threat concentrated in tourist areas and beaches” around the popular surfing spot of Arugam Bay in the south of the island.

Local police did not specify the nature of the threats or who made them, but it was clear that they were directed against Israelis living and traveling in Sri Lanka. Hundreds of police officers were deployed to the area Wednesday morning, patrolling the streets and setting up checkpoints to check vehicles.

In response, the Israeli Security Council designated the Aruham Gulf area as a level 4 threat and urged all citizens present to take precautions, including concealing their Jewish identity and not gathering in large groups.

“Israeli security services… are in close contact with Sri Lankan security authorities and are monitoring developments,” the statement said.

The Security Council urged Israelis in the rest of the country to be careful and refrain from holding large gatherings in public places.

Earlier on Wednesday, the US Embassy in Sri Lanka issued a warning about the threat to Israeli travelers. The embassy said it had “received credible information warning of an attack on popular tourist spots” in eastern Arugam Bay. The UK and Australia were also among the countries that updated their travel advice to Sri Lanka on Wednesday.

Sri Lanka, an island in the Indian Ocean, is a popular tourist destination that relies heavily on the income of foreign travelers. Since the Covid pandemic, the country has struggled to reboot its tourism industry and has tried to attract tourists, especially from Israel, by offering long-term visas.

However, in areas such as Aruham Bay, tensions have reportedly increased recently following a heavy influx of Israeli tourists and businesses, with Hebrew signs prominently displayed on shops and notice boards.

Anger among sections of the Muslim community over Israel’s ongoing war in the Gaza Strip has also reportedly led to calls for a boycott of Israeli businesses in the area.

In a strongly worded statement on X, local MP Rehan Jayawickrem accused local Israeli businesses of operating illegally in Sri Lanka and creating “a serious security threat that could derail efforts to restore tourism in Sri Lanka.”

“To those Israelis who are fueling this instability, let me make one thing clear: you cannot forcibly and illegally occupy our lands as you have done in other places,” he told Jayawickrema, calling on Israelis to “respect the laws of this land.”

Sri Lanka has a recent dark history of terrorist attacks targeting tourists. In April 2019, three luxury hotels and several churches were attacked by Islamist suicide bombers, killing 270 people, including 45 foreigners. The Easter attacks case has yet to come to trial and has been clouded by accusations of political interference.

In a statement on Wednesday, the police said that in view of the growing number of tourists coming to Sri Lanka, they have prepared a special strategy to ensure their safety, “taking into account the military situation in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.”