Israel Reports Increase in U.S. Tourists Despite Lebanon Conflict

Israel reported a 24 percent increase in American visitors in the first seven months of 2006 compared to the same period last year. While numbers were up 32 percent in the first six months, travel from the U.S. fell 17 percent in July due to the Lebanon conflict. Arie Sommer, consul and Israel tourism commissioner for North and South America, estimates that by the end of the year, Israel will have welcomed more than a half million tourists from the U.S.