Decline in cruise ships docking
Cruise ship traffic to Israel decreased by almost two-thirds in 2014 in comparison with the year before. The overall trend of declining cruise ship traffic has its roots in a conflict between Israel and Hamas, but not the one of 2014. It was around the time of Operation Pillar of Defense in November 2012 that cruise operators began avoiding Israeli ports for their itineraries. Since cruises are generally planned six to 12 months in advance, the effects of that conflict are only becoming apparent now.