1

You can ask not to have your passport stamped. However, there is no guarantee that the immigration official will comply with your request and stamp a separate piece of paper. There are reports on this and other travel forums from people who begged and pleaded not to have their passport stamped, but they got it stamped anyway. Whether it happens often, nobody can say. Whether it will happen to you, nobody can say.

If it is absolutely vital that you don't have evidence of a visit to Israel in your passport (for instance, if you need to go to Iran, Lebanon etc. for your job), the only 100 percent guaranteed way not to get the stamp is not to go to Israel.

Israel over Christmas is peak travel time. It will be difficult to find any accommodation, let alone budget accommodation, at this late stage. Also note that Christmas is not a holiday in Israel. It's a normal working day for the vast majority of the population. If you are looking to escape Christmas, that's a good thing. If on the other hand you are expecting to see the streets decorated with Christmas trees, sorry, wrong country! It's peak travel time because that's when foreign tourists have time off work and are able to travel, and of course there are Christian visitors wanting to attend religious services and events in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.

Prices are similar to those in Western Europe. Israel isn't a rock-bottom budget destination. Public transport is inexpensive, and trains are certainly much cheaper than in the UK.

2

IF you're coming over Christmas - book now! Only that way will you be able to see the prices in advance and to decide whether to book!

3

israel is a pretty expensive destination for backpacker travel at the best of times, and prices rise over xmas...check online and see if anything you can afford is still available.