Georgian pilgrims denied Israeli visas

12/1/13 – Lika Moshiashvili On Christmas Eve, the news that the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Israel had refused to issue visas to Georgia’s commercial tour agencies, as well as the Religious Tourism Department, the Patriarch’s Office and the administration of the Orthodox Church of Georgia for attending the holy ceremonies in Israel, was a big disappointment for the country, which boasts of a centuries- old friendship with the people of Israel. The patriarch`s administration does not rule out the possibility that the refusal was tied to the frequent illegal immigration cases from Georgia