Eilat (Getting Israel Together)
Eilat (Getting Israel Together)
Over the years, Eilat has developed into a tourist center, attracting
people to the ever-present sun, to the many hiking trails and to the sea
with its world famous corals. Today, Eilat is a thriving town and one of
Israel’s most popular tourist attractions. It is a paradise for those who
love the water and water sports. Here you can laze around the beach
or take an excursion in a glass bottom boat, go snorkeling or visit the
Coral World Underwater Observatory and Aquarium or just stay in your
airconditioned hotel room and admire the view from your window.
Contrary to popular belief Eilat is not just another pretty town there’s
actually a thriving residential area, a lot of history and interesting sites
to see.
With the exception of a lonely police station, no buildings or population
existed here until the decision to create Eilat in the 1950's. This
decision was made for two main reasons:
1) in order to establish a permanent Israeli presence in this
small piece of territory between Jordan and Egypt
2) in order to provide a port for shipping to destinations in
Eastern Africa and Asia via the Red Sea.
Eilat's port facilities were expanded during the 1960's, in order to serve
the shipping of Iranian oil. This oil was brought by tankers to Eilat,
piped across the Negev to Ashkelon on the Mediteranean coast,
transferred back to tankers and then shipped to Europe. However,
since the Khomeini revolution which stopped the flow of petroleum, and
the reopening of the Suez Canal, Eilat's port has suffered greatly. Thus
Eilat must constantly struggle against adverse conditions - economic,
political and natural. Yet, Eilat must continue to exist in order to
maintain Israel's access to the sea and to strengthen national security
on the remote southern border.