AIBU to worry about telling colleagues that I’m going to Israel?

Yes. No matter how much this Israeli government try to claim any criticism of them is anti-Semitic, it is not. They are trying to use fear of being labelled an antisemite as a means to suppress dissent or criticism of their abhorrent actions.

They are free to feel that way but they should keep their views to themselves at work about a colleague travelling to a family wedding. It really is absolutely none of their business, and not their place to comment.

Really? You think antisemitism rates are so high because people are lying about what antisemitism is?

I suppose the increased security around synagogues and Jewish schools is in case people criticise the Israeli government at them.

I’m not sure what angle you’re commenting from. Are you saying you wouldn’t understand her reason for travelling? I’ve said I do understand.

Bully in liberal clothing....love that phrase! So accurate

And yet you still can fly there

Really? She's going for a wedding

I think virtual signalling through passive-aggressive nonsense is a sign of a pathetic mind. So because I visit my family in Zimbabwe, I cosign the state. Bully in liberal clothing.

So fed up with having to read absolute crap like this

Who has said that you can't disagree with the actions of a country without hating a population/race/religion?

For some of us who are Jewish there is no difference at all between us and Israelis. They are all family.

I wouldn’t say anything - but I am quite shocked you are travelling there at this time tbh! I would be really concerned about safety… I thought the UK gov stance currently was do not travel there.

Also, bloody hell, I can't believe the Israeli information management would bother with Mumsnet. No one wants to see you fall, but we believe in the humanity of the Palestinians and Lebonaese. Russia has used the moment, but the long term, isn't it better for a frosty peace. Is Benjamin the only man who can run the country?

People are entitled to their opinion. Some people would go, others wouldn’t. For some people, it might offend their morality to visit a country and put money into an economy that was committing war crimes. If that doesn’t offend your morality, then by all means go. If some people judge you, so be it.

No it doesn't.

It indicates someone is going to a family wedding.

I guess for the same reason a person might legitimately judge someone who was holidaying in South Africa during apartheid. It indicates tacit support for a state and government committing crimes against humanity and breaching international law.

Israel really is a democratic state i cant understand what people are saying here you will travel to america france asia and understand they do ni not share your politcs. Its like libraials are secretlty authourtarian you must believe our words or we will destroy you. Weird man. Also dont believe your worry is normal or perhaps e never encountered in a working enviorment where id get a judgemental racisit responce for a holiday. Hezbollah clearly started a fight they cant win. Israelli govetnment inder current leadee is clearly unfit and genocidal towards palastines. For god sake its like not going to new york because donald trump was preisent absouloute bunch of predjudiced individuals. Because eveeyy british pwrson is rsponsible for boris johnson thefefore.....

A (native British) colleague went to Russia for a holiday a few months ago, came gushing about what an amazing highly cultured country it is and what a shame it is treated so unfriendly with direct flights cancelled. No one said a word, although the silence was so thick you could cut it with a knife. I think you'll be fine, OP.

All the civilians that are dying, fucking obviously

I'm Jewish-Israeli. I've visted Europe/UK (4 countries in total) a few times for work since the war. I absolutely understand your question. Indeed, I was sitting with a Palestinian-Israeli colleague on a train in a European country, I was having a nice chat with the woman opposite me, then eventually she asked "where are you from?" and both my colleague and I burst out laughing because before we left we had discussed simply saying a random country in a situation like this to avoid "the conversation". Anyway, she just wanted to know whether I had any great ideas about how the conflict will end, and I don't really but gave her the best "insights" I've got, then we went back to normal conversation.

My experience, both with strangers and with overseas colleagues, has overwhelmingly been that even when I know people are vehemently pro-Palestine/anti-Israel, they don't come out with the kind of aggressive political comments we see on this thread to my face, maybe simply because most people are not interested in picking fights. In the vast majority of cases, people are just curious to hear a bit about what things are like behind the headlines, they are sympathetic to the challenges of living in a conflict zone, and sometimes they are itching to ask questions. In a minority of cases, people were polite but basically ignored me.

So I think you'll be fine, and in reality, there's a lot less political flame throwing in real life than on the internet, and obviously it helps if you keep the conversation to personal experiences rather than political opinions.

Yes, and if you reported a colleague for being anti-semitic for disagreeing with the Israeli government, they could report you back for diffamation.

"I think any discussion on politics is unacceptable in the workplace"

It totally depends on the workplace doesn't it. Plenty of workplaces are ideological or political to begin with.

I agree.
I would tell the truth, when you start making up stories you forget what you've told to whom and it gets complicated, but I would make it clear that the wedding is there because the bride is Israeli so it's not you who's chosen the destination.