After the recent terrorist attack in Jerusalem, the United Statesissued an "advisory" to American citizens, urging them tooff Israeli busses. The US routinely issueswarnings regarding the dangers of war and terrorism for countries as Pakistan, Lebanon, Egypt, Sri Lanka, and Russia, and similarhave been made in the past with respect to Israel. In this, the American State Department serves as equivalent of a global forecaster, issuing broad and seemingly objective judgmentsdangers from terrorism and violence.

In this case, however, the pronouncement out of Washington struck as particularly absurd. In the first place, there is a bitterin the fact that the American government, including current administration, has pushed so hard for the measures that made Israelis cities increasingly vulnerable to Palestinian in the past year. American pressure on Israeli governments to the withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho, and Palestinian under Arafat and the PLO. As a result, Israel lost of and control in these areas, making it easier for to obtain explosives and use them. IDF officers and analysts warn that the further withdrawals will only the dangers. American government officials have also Israel to continue to allow Palestinians from beyond the Line to enter and work in Israel, thereby increasing the accessterrorists to Israeli busses and other targets.

While the Israeli government is ultimately responsible for these, Washington cannot pretend to be an uninvolved observer. If has become a more dangerous place, in part, due to American and perceptions, then perhaps the State Department shouldits own policies, and the fundamental assumptions about thesociety and terror. If they were honest, the authors of official pronouncements would write, "After the Israelitook our advice, the dangers of terrorism on busses in Teland Jerusalem has increased."

For Israelis returning from the United States, the irony in the warning about the dangers of Israeli busses was even more. The United States issues advisories about other countries, but the greatest danger of violence and random is in American itself. Many cities, including New York, Los, Chicago, and Washington DC, are so dangerous that visitorsleave their hotels at night. Drugs, theft, and thrill killingsAmerican cities, and are far more dangerous than riding Israeli.

In California and Florida, driving on a freeway can also be athreatening experience. Americans are armed to the teeth, andover the right of way at an intersection can become a deadly. The fear of "car-jackings" and other forms of random is pervasive, and Americans are afraid to drive their cars. Florida, a number of foreign tourists have been robbed and killed the past few years. With so many Israelis visiting (and staying) the United States, perhaps it is time for the Israeli Foreignto issue a traveler's advisory for this dangerous part of the.

The climate of fear and violence does not end in the big cities freeways. Pictures of kidnapped children haunt milk cartons, with offered for information on the whereabouts of youngster who five, ten, or, in some cases, even fifteen years ago.in Southern California shopping malls offer information on how place a micro dot on your children's teeth, in order to allow forin the event of kidnapping. As a result, in American, children are imprisoned, afraid to go anywhere on their own,parents become full-time chauffeurs.

It is not just ironic -- it is absurd -- that the Americanplaces so much emphasis on protecting its citizens from theof Islamic terrorists in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, blithely ignoring the daily violence at home. It is time that American government altered its focus, and instead of warning itsabout the dangers of busses in Israeli cities, began to look the violence and killings at home. And at the same time, perhaps officials in the State Department can consider their ownto increased terrorism in Israeli cities.