This is the first time that I have used the Lonely Planet series and it may be the last. I found that the restaurants recommended were mediocre, the lodging descriptions were only vaguely accurate and worst of all, the directions for finding the cafes & internet access was both poorly done and at times completely inaccurate. I will admit that the fact that the guide listed internet cafes, etc was quite nice. In addition, I thought that the description of the history and sites was quite helpful. However, if you instead choose the guide by Eyewitness Travel, you will find excellent descriptions and pictures of the sites and, in my experience, better restaurant and lodging recommendations.

This is the second Lonely Planet guide that I have used and am pleased to report that I was not disappointed. This guide offered a perfect blend of history, culture, and touristy tid-bits. While I only used the Jerusalem and West Bank sections, this book is great for traveling anywhere in the area. Often traveling to interesting places, at least for me, leads to prioritizing the 'must-sees' with a blend of 'I think that would be really cool to sees', and this book helps sorting those out. If you only buy one travel guide, I'd recommend this for serious contention.

Forget this book, even if you're going into the territories.

Compared to Fodor's and Fromer's, very few attractions listed for anywhere (1-2 for every 5-6 in the other guides). Descriptions are paultry and mostly political commentary, and have substantial logistical errors in it.

The book is written with distain towards Israel at every corner. Not a mindset I want for anyplace I'm traveling though. People regularly come back from Israel reporting how much they loved it, so this book is missing what almost every tourist can spot! The only time the distain lifts is in the terroritories where it glows. Even there though the glaring inaccuracies and errors made it a no-go. I had plans to go into the territories and wound up borrowing an internet connection to get the details I needed.

Essentially the book is written as one long political statement. I would enjoy the "facts" from a "different" view - except that they are as inaccurate as the attraction descriptions...often even contradicting and illogical within their own wording. Then if you know any history it gets totally strange.

Their description of why it's safe to go into the territories is - to make sure you look like a tourist because tourists aren't targeted. This is true, but they should have expanded beyond one very short paragraph for this third of their book so people could decide for themselves.

It's not a tourguide book and to the extent it pretends to add any guide info, one'd be better off getting the info elsewhere.

Preparing a ten days trip to Isarael I find this guide very useful and plenty with living tips.

As a center for Judaism, Christianity, & Islam I was really excited about reading up on the section on Jerusalem. I'm planning to visit in May but after reading this guidebook, I'm left disheartened. This is the first time I've been disappointed by LP. This book doesn't do a good job of representing the 'Holy Land' traveler. The attitude that the best reason to visit sites with religious significance like the Church of the Ascension & The Mount of Olives are their 'spectacular views' is a let-down. Give me a break! The "Haram Ash-Sharif/Temple Mount" is covered very poorly. And forget about The Dome of the Rock which they didn't cover because it was only open to Muslims that day (probably because it was Friday- so SMART). I was expecting a guidebook on the 'Holy Land' to be a little more sensitive to the religious significance of the sites & would not try to serve as a reader on history tinged with political bias. I was expecting useful info like: what time to go, what is the best entrance, tips & shortcuts. For GOD'S SAKE get a Jewish, Christian, & Muslim correspondent to cover their respective sites so that they're adequately & accurately represented. This way pilgrim will find useful & relevant information. We don't need cut & paste history lessons.

I am generally a fan of lonely planet books, and have used them as a guide on other trips. This particular lonely planet guide disappoints. I found this book to provide precious few details about important Jewish sites. Significant space in the book is devoted to the authors' (one-sided) political commentary. The Let's Go guide is more comprehensive and informative (with less political fluff). I recommend skipping this particular lonely planet guide.

I have been to Israel many times, and know what is correct, and what is not. For unknown reasons the book's reviews of the former Israeli areas, that were turned over to the palestinian arabs are not very accurate. It is almost as if the authors used a double-standard for Israeli and non-Israeli areas.

In Israel, the travel was generally great. Clean hotels, great food, welcoming people. In most of the palestinain areas, the places were filthy, the food substandard, and the attitudes horrible. There are many places that are of religious and historic significance, that were turned over to palestinain arabs. Sadly, many of them have been trashed, vandalized, defaced and even burned down. Your guide virtually covered up the abject filth and hostility of these areas. If I had know more, I might not have ventured into these no-man's land.

My next trip, I will ignore your rosy but inaccurate analysis of the palestinain arab areas, and stay where I am welcome, and where the level of cleanliness and care are MUCH higher. Bethlehem, for example, exists to fleece Christians of their money, by muslims that act with a nasty attitude toward us. No wonder why tourism is way down, since Israel turned this area over to the PA.

The next time you write a book about palestinain arabs, PLEASE stick to objective reports and NOT report things the way that you wished they were. These areas are nasty, and the people aren't much better.

Up to the usual great quality, Lonely Planets travel guides are generally the best reference tool for travellers. However, there is a beautiful and brilliant guide that was published about 20 months ago near Bethlehem by the Alternative Tourism Group which is currently only available on AMAZON UK for under 18#, called Palestine and Palestinians a 6star rating surpassing any travel book published thus far on the oPt and Israel where now razed villages or lost histories now exist. It will make any trip to the unholy Holy Land a more enriching and meaningful experience and highly recommended.

It looks easy to me to go around this country, even under Israel's attack with missile.