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49-512: Opened on April 26, 1982, it is currently the only entry/exit point between the two countries that handles tourists. The site is at the bottom of Mount Tallul and was close to Raffi Nelson 's Nelson Village and the Sonesta Hotel which both closed due to the handing over of the Sinai to Egyptian control in exchange for normalization of relations. Under terms of the deal, Israelis would be able to visit

98-411: A hot desert climate ( Köppen : BWh ) with very hot, dry summers and warm, similarly dry winters. Winters are usually between 11–23 °C (52–73 °F). Summers are usually between 26–40 °C (79–104 °F). There are relatively small coral reefs near Eilat; however, 50 years ago they were much larger. The overwhelming majority of Eilat's population are Jews . Arabs constitute about 4% of

147-696: A tax-free zone . Notable attractions include the Dolphin Reef , where visitors can swim with dolphins; the Coral Beach Nature Reserve , the northernmost shallow coral reef on Earth; the Coral World Underwater Observatory , the Ice Mall, and the city's marina and sea-side promenade, home to many bars, restaurants and shops. The city also offers opportunities for hiking and exploration in nearby natural reserves like Timna Valley Park and

196-637: A population of about 500. The Timna Copper Mines near the Timna Valley and the Port of Eilat were opened that year and concerted effort by the Israeli government to populate Eilat began, starting with Jewish immigrant families from Morocco being resettled there. Eilat began to develop rapidly after the Suez Crisis in 1956, with its tourism industry in particular starting to flourish. The Israeli Navy 's Eilat naval base

245-532: A rail link, sometimes referred to as the Med-Red to decrease travel times substantially from Eilat to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem , via the existing line at Beer Sheba ; planning is underway. As of 2021 Dimona railway station is the southernmost passenger train station in Israel. In the 1970s tourism became increasingly important to the city's economy as other industries shut down or were drastically reduced. Today tourism

294-596: Is Israel 's southernmost city, with a population of 53,151, a busy port and popular resort at the northern tip of the Red Sea , on what is known in Israel as the Gulf of Eilat and in Jordan as the Gulf of Aqaba . The city is considered a tourist destination for domestic and international tourists heading to Israel. Eilat is located at the southernmost tip of Israel, at the southern end of

343-547: Is Israel's smallest. Special services geared to the Red Sea region are a hyperbaric chamber to treat victims of diving accidents and kidney dialysis facilities open to vacationing tourists. Since 2019, Ramon International Airport has handled commercial domestic and international flights to Eilat ( IATA : ETM, ICAO : LLER). Eilat has two main roads connecting it with the center of Israel - Route 12 , which leads North West, and Route 90 which leads North East, and South West to

392-514: Is a resort hotel in Taba, Egypt , just over 100 metres from the southern border between Egypt and Israel . Eliyahu Paposchado began construction of the Aviya-Sonesta Beach Hotel in 1979, while the Sinai was under Israeli control. The hotel was located 6 km (3.7 mi) from Eilat and next to Rafi Nelson 's Nelson Village , also known as Rafi Nelson's Holiday Village. The village

441-470: Is added if the fee is paid on-site, and not online. The border fee is waived if travelling no further than 1 km (0.62 mi) from the border. This means travelers to the Mövenpick Resort, Hilton Taba Resort Hotel, and Radisson Blue Resort Taba are exempt from any fees, but a printed reservation to the hotel must be shown at the border, otherwise the full fee is required. Though there is an ATM at

490-456: Is located in the Gulf of Aqaba , one of the most popular diving destinations in the world. The coral reefs along Eilat's coast remain relatively pristine and the area is recognized as one of the prime diving locations in the world. About 250,000 dives are performed annually in Eilat's 11 km (6.8 mi) coastline, and diving represents 10% of the tourism income of this area. In addition, given

539-532: Is the city's major source of income, although Eilat became a free trade zone in 1985. Eilat offers a wide range of accommodations, from hostels and luxury hotels to Bedouin hospitality. In recent years Eilat has been the target of militants from Egypt and Gaza causing a reduced tourist inflow to the region. Attractions include: Skin and scuba diving equipment is for hire on or near all major beaches. Scuba diving equipment rental and compressed air are available from diving clubs and schools all year round. Eilat

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588-680: The Arabah and the Negev Desert , adjacent to the Egyptian resort city of Taba to the south, the Jordanian port city of Aqaba to the east, and within sight of Haql , Saudi Arabia , across the gulf to the southeast. Eilat hosts numerous hotels, holiday resorts, and beaches. Its renown coral reefs make it a popular destination for diving tourism , with activities such as snorkeling and scuba diving . The city's shopping centers benefit from its status as

637-543: The British Mandate era , a British police post existed in the area, which was known as Umm Al-Rashrash . The area was designated as part of the Jewish state in the 1947 UN Partition Plan . During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War , the abandoned police post, which consisted of five clay huts, was taken without a fight on March 10, 1949, as part of Operation Uvda . This marked the end of Israel's war for independence. The memorial at

686-711: The Committee for the Designation of Place-Names in the Negev , referring to Elath , a location in the vicinity mentioned multiple times in the Hebrew Bible , notably as a station during the Israelites' exodus from Egypt , a site where King Solomon built ships, which was later rebuilt by Uzziah of Judah . The ancient site is possibly located at Tell el-Kheleifeh , an archaeological site situated halfway between modern Eilat and Aqaba, on

735-580: The Eilat bakery bombing killed three civilian bakers. This was the first such attack in Eilat proper, although other terror attacks had been carried out in the area. In 2011, terrorists infiltrated Israel across the Sinai border to execute multiple attacks on Highway 12, including a civilian bus and private car a few miles north of Eilat, in what became known as the 2011 southern Israel cross-border attacks . In order to prevent terrorist infiltration of Israel from

784-582: The Mediterranean basin and Europe. This happened in 1956 and again in 1967, when Egypt's closure of the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping effectively blockaded the port of Eilat. In 1956, this led to Israel's participation alongside Britain and France in the war against Egypt sparked by the Suez Crisis , while in 1967, 90% of Israeli oil passed through the Straits of Tiran. Oil tankers that were due to pass through

833-662: The high-speed railway to Eilat , a railway line which will serve both passenger and freight trains. It will link Eilat with Beersheba and Tel Aviv , and will run through the Arava Valley and Nahal Zin (see Zin Desert ). The former Eilat Airport was closed on 18 March 2019 after the opening of Ramon Airport . The land occupied by the former airport is to be redeveloped. The new Ramon Airport opened in January 2019, 18 kilometres (11 miles) north of Eilat and replaced both Eilat Airport and

882-595: The 1960s, most notably in the early 90s as a tropical locale for season 2 of the Canadian production Tropical Heat . It was also used in the films She , Madron , Ashanti and Rambo III . Despite harsh conditions, the region has supported large populations as far back as 8,000 BCE. Several Neolithic sites have been discovered in Eilat in its vicinity. One of them is a late Neolithic burial site with fan scrapers , dated by archaeologists to 5410-4250 BCE. Exploration of ancient sites began in 1861, but only 7% of

931-496: The 9th. It was one of six very similar contemporary villages discovered in close vicinity, two along the northbound leg of the Darb , and three to the southwest, along the coastal road, all of them depending on the nearby port of Ayla and the Hajj road. Its remains were found and excavated in 1989, between the industrial zone at the northern edge of Eilat and nearby Kibbutz Eilot . During

980-496: The Eilat Mountains. Eilat's arid desert climate and low humidity are moderated by proximity to a warm sea. Temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in summer, and 21 °C (70 °F) in winter, while water temperatures range between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 79 °F). Eilat averages 360 sunny days a year. The name Eilat was given to the abandoned frontier post of Umm al-Rashrāsh ( أم الرشراش ) in 1949 by

1029-497: The IDF trained in counter-terrorism and hostage rescue in the Eilat area, which has taken part in many counter-terrorist missions in the region since its formation in 1974. The Lotar unit is composed solely of reservists, citizens who must be Eilat residents between the ages of 20 and 60, who are on call in case of a terrorist attack on the city. It is one of only three units in the IDF authorized to free hostages on its own command. In 2007

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1078-571: The Jordanian side of the border. The geology and landscape are varied: igneous and metamorphic rocks , sandstone and limestone; mountains up to 892 metres (2,927 ft) above sea level ; broad valleys such as the Arava, and seashore on the Gulf of Aqaba. With an annual average rainfall of 28 millimetres (1.1 in) and summer temperatures of 40 °C (104 °F) and higher, water resources and vegetation are limited. "The main elements that influenced

1127-523: The Negev maintains a campus in Eilat. The Eilat branch has 1,100 students, about 75 percent from outside the city. The Hebrew University of Jerusalem , also maintains a campus in Eilat. In 2010, a new student dormitory was funded and built by the Jewish Federation of Toronto, the Rashi Foundation, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the municipality of Eilat. The SPNI 's Eilat Field School on

1176-513: The Red Sea coast from Taba to Sharm el-Sheikh (and Saint Catherine's Monastery ) visa free for visits up to fourteen days. In 1999, the terminal handled a record amount of 1,038,828 tourists and 89,422 vehicles. The terminal is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year except for the holidays of Eid ul-Adha and Yom Kippur . In February 2014, a coach taking tourists to Saint Catherine's Monastery in Sinai exploded in Taba shortly before crossing

1225-573: The Sinai is possible after change of license plates, registration and the payment of a tax. Israeli rental cars are not allowed to cross the border. All travelers to Egypt must pay a border-crossing fee before leaving Israel. The border-crossing fee is NIS 109 (June 2023) per traveler. The fee is quoted in NIS and is updated once a year (on January 1) linked to the Consumer Price Index. An additional service charge of 6 NIS (per payment, not per traveler)

1274-625: The Sinai, Israel has built the Egypt–Israel barrier , a steel barrier equipped with cameras, radar and motion sensors along the country's southern border. The fence was completed in January 2013. During the Israel-Hamas War and ensuing Red Sea crisis , the port saw an 85% reduction in volumes and by 12 July 2024 the port of Eilat declared bankruptcy resulting in it seeing no economic activity or revenue for eight months. In July 2012, Israel signed an agreement with China to cooperate in building

1323-446: The area has undergone serious archaeological excavation . Some 1,500 ancient sites are located in a 1,200-square-kilometer (460 sq mi) area. In contrast to the gaps found in settlement periods in the neighbouring Negev Highlands and Sinai, these sites show continuous settlement for the past 10,000 years. Eilat is twinned with: Eilat has streets named after Antibes , Durban , Kamen , Kampen and Los Angeles as well as

1372-450: The border crossing with Egypt. Egged , the national bus company, provides regular service to points north on an almost hourly basis as well as in-city on a half-hourly basis during daylight hours. In part due to the comparatively long travel times, there are different booking procedures for buses to Eilat, including the option of advance reservations. The Port of Eilat and Eilat Marina allow travel by sea. Future plans also call for

1421-639: The border to Israel. Three South Korean nationals and one Egyptian national were killed, while 14 South Koreans were injured; the blast was blamed on terrorists. In September 2016, the Israeli side of the crossing was renamed to " Menachem Begin Crossing" after the late prime minister, who signed the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt. The crossing was closed for a week in April 2017 after bombing attacks at Coptic Orthodox churches in Egypt . The Israeli border terminal

1470-420: The civilian use of Ovda Airport . Hotels and apartment buildings, containing a total of 2,080 hotel rooms and 1,000 apartments will be constructed on the site, as well as 275 dunams of public space and pedestrian paths. The plans also set aside space for the railway line and an underground railway station. The plan's goal is to create an urban continuum between the city center and North Beach, as well as tighten

1519-467: The final border between the two countries. The hotel received its first guests on November 1, 1982 and celebrated its grand opening on November 15, 1982. On the bottom floor, there is an 8.5 m (28 ft) high wall relief, made in 1980–81 with a Hebrew inscription by the Jerusalem sculptor, Daniel Kafri . In 1986, after months of negotiation, an international arbitration panel decided to return

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1568-474: The historical place of March 1949 was declared a National Heritage Site in 1994. The town developed over the following years. Eilat Airport was built in 1949 and individual ships began arriving in the 1950s, but as there were no dedicated port facilities they unloaded their goods at sea. In the early 1950s, Eilat was a small and remote town, populated largely by port workers, soldiers, and former prisoners. The town's development accelerated in 1955, when it had

1617-433: The hotel was renamed Steigenberger Hotel & Nelson Village , following another renovation. 29°29′25″N 34°53′58″E  /  29.4904°N 34.8994°E  / 29.4904; 34.8994 Eilat Eilat ( / eɪ ˈ l ɑː t / ay- LAHT , UK also / eɪ ˈ l æ t / ay- LAT ; Hebrew : אֵילַת [eˈlat] ; Arabic : إِيلَات , romanized :  Īlāt )

1666-490: The lawsuits were ultimately dismissed for forum non conveniens . Subsequently, an Israeli court ruled that the victims were not entitled to compensation by Hilton. In 2017, Deutsche Hospitality signed a management contract with the hotel's owner, Taba Tourism Development Company, which renovated and reopened the hotel as the Taba Hotel & Nelson Village , managed by DH's Steigenberger Hotels and Resorts brand. In 2023,

1715-516: The links between the city's neighborhoods, which were separated by the airport. In addition, there are plans to move the Port of Eilat and the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline terminal to the northern part of the city, as well as to turn it into a university town of science and research, and brand it an international sports city. All these projects are part of a plan to increase Eilat's population to 150,000 people and build 35,000 hotel rooms. Eilat has

1764-508: The oldest on earth. An Islamic community of 250–400 residents flourished for one or two generations in the area during the Umayyad period . It dealt in agriculture, copper mining and smelting , as well as trading with pilgrims by taking advantage of the adjacent Darb el-Hajj ('Way of the Hajj ') route in the 8th century CE. There was some sporadic reuse of the abandoned site by pastoralists during

1813-406: The outskirts of Eilat offers special hiking tours that focus on desert ecology , the Red Sea , bird migration and other aspects of Eilat's flora and fauna. The Hesder Yeshiva Ayelet Hashachar, is based in Eilat, established in 1997. Yoseftal Medical Center , established in 1968, is Israel's southernmost hospital, and the only hospital covering the southern Negev . With 65 beds, the hospital

1862-746: The population. Eilat's population includes a large number of foreign workers, estimated at over 10,000 working as caregivers, hotel workers and in the construction trades. Eilat also has a growing Israeli Arab population, as well as many affluent Jordanians and Egyptians who visit Eilat in the summer months. In 2007, over 200 Sudanese refugees from Egypt who arrived in Israel illegally on foot were given work and allowed to stay in Eilat. The educational system of Eilat accommodates more than 9,000 children in eight day-care centers, 67 pre-kindergartens and kindergartens, 10 elementary schools, and 3 six-year high schools. Also, there are some special-education schools and religious schools. Ben Gurion University of

1911-452: The proximity of many of these reefs to the shore, non-divers can encounter the Red Sea's reefs with relative ease. Water conditions for SCUBA divers are good all year round, with water temperatures around 21–25 °C (70–77 °F), with little or no currents and clear waters with an average of 20–30 metres (66–98 feet) visibility. Eilat has been utilized by film and television productions – domestic and foreign – for location shooting since

1960-478: The region's history were the copper resources and other minerals, the ancient international roads that crossed the area, and its geopolitical and strategic position. These resulted in a settlement density that defies the environmental conditions." Archaeological excavations uncovered impressive prehistoric ( Neolithic ) tombs dating to the 7th millennium BC at the western edge of Eilat, while nearby copper workings and mining operations at Timna Valley are one of

2009-494: The stamp. Travel beyond into the rest of Egypt requires an Egyptian Visa that will need to be obtained in advance. The Taba border tariff is E£405 , payable in cash, only if travelling beyond the immediate Taba resort area. There is no fee when crossing back from Taba to Eilat. 29°29′28″N 34°54′12″E  /  29.49111°N 34.90333°E  / 29.49111; 34.90333 Hilton Taba The Steigenberger Hotel & Nelson Village ( Arabic : هيلتون طابا )

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2058-453: The straits were delayed. The straits' closure was cited by Israel as an additional casus belli leading to the outbreak of the Six-Day War . Following peace treaties signed with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994 , Eilat's borders with its neighbors were finally opened. Eilat is especially defended by its own special forces unit LOTAR Eilat . It is a reservist special forces unit of

2107-459: The terminal, it is usually not in function so travelers should bring cash to exchange. The terminal building has an exchange counter. Travelers will get a stamp on arrival allowing entry into the Sinai Peninsula for up to 14 days. With this stamp, travelers can travel as far as Sharm El Sheikh including St Catherine Monastery and visit Ras Mohamed Nature Reserve. There is no cost involved to get

2156-488: The tiny strip of land to Egyptian control, but allowed Israelis to freely visit the tiny strip without paying a tax (to this day tourists do not pay a tax when travelling between Eilat and the hotel). The hotel was sold to Egypt for $ 35 million. In January 1989 the hotel and adjacent village were turned over to Egypt. The hotel became the Hilton Taba on September 1, 1989. It was very popular with Israeli tourists until it

2205-544: The world was by air and sea alone. Further, Egypt denied passage through the Suez Canal to Israeli-registered ships or to any ship carrying cargo to or from Israeli ports. This made Eilat and its sea port crucial to Israel's communications, commerce and trade with Africa and Asia, and for oil imports. Without recourse to a port on the Red Sea Israel would have been unable to develop its diplomatic, cultural and trade ties beyond

2254-427: Was a center for musical and cultural activity and attracted Israel's who's who in the late 1960s and 1970s. After the peace agreements were signed in 1979 between the two nations, the status of the incomplete hotel and the village were to be decided by future negotiations. Due to a disagreement over the correct location of the boundary markers , it was the stumbling block in negotiations between Israel and Egypt over

2303-402: Was founded that year. The town's population grew to 5,300 in 1961. Yoseftal Medical Center and the Eilat-Ashkelon pipeline were completed in 1968, and the population increased further, reaching 13,100 in 1972 and 18,900 in 1983. After the 1948 Arab–Israeli War Arab countries maintained a state of hostility with Israel, blocking all land routes; Israel's access to and trade with the rest of

2352-507: Was opened in September 1995 at a cost of US $ 3 million. The Israeli border terminal can be reached from within Israel via Egged bus number 15 from Eilat 's central bus station. Privately owned Israeli cars may cross through the terminal and stay in the confines of the Egyptian border terminal (this includes the parking lots of the Hilton Taba and Mövenpick Taba Resort ); further travel into

2401-476: Was targeted by terrorists in the 2004 Sinai bombings in which 34 people died and hundreds were wounded in the attack. Afterward, the hotel underwent major renovations, but saw a drastic drop in Israeli tourists. Hilton International denied liability to the victims of the terror attack on its grounds and refused to compensate its guests. Some victims sought compensation through legal challenges in Miami and New York, but

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