Concern over the volatile situation in the Middle East has caused Passover trips to Israel to plummet.

West End Travel has said that the number of British Jews going to Israel is down by 65-70 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Managing Director Daniel Segel told the JC: “Israel business for Pesach this year has been bad. Where in previous years we have sent hundreds [to Israel], this year not. Before where it may have been a flood, this year it’s a trickle.”

By contrast, West End Travel and another agency that specialises in Israel, Travelink, both said they had seen a “huge” increase in the number of people booking trips to Europe to join Pesach programmes there.

Despite fewer bookings to Israel ahead of Passover, in the three or so months following October 7 travel agencies said they saw more people travelling to Israel than in the same months of the previous year.

Travelink said they “worked tirelessly last Saturday night and Sunday” to assist clients who had their flights cancelled following Iran’s attack on Israel.

Budget airline EasyJet has cancelled all flights to Israel for the next six months because of the “evolving situation” in the Middle East, while Virgin Atlantic will not be providing flights to Israel until September.