Students, ex-pat BYU faculty, faculty families, and a service couple from the Jerusalem Center have left the facility for southern Israel. The group entered Jordan via the Wadi Araba crossing between Eilat and Aqaba and arrived safely in Wadi Rum on the afternoon of Tuesday, March 24, 2026.
The group's itinerary includes visits to cultural and historical sites in southern Jordan, including Petra, before traveling to Taba, Egypt, and subsequently Cairo. This movement marks the conclusion of the Jerusalem Center's Winter 2026 Program as all participants are scheduled to depart for the United States following field studies in Cairo.
The departure follows a period of heightened regional tension. Earlier in March, students and faculty had remained at the Jerusalem Center rather than evacuating. This decision was made to prioritize student safety, as officials determined that remaining at the Center—which features extensive security protections and easy access to shelters—was the least risky option following missile launches from Iran toward areas west of Jerusalem.
During this period, the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem and Ambassador Mike Huckabee both urged U.S. citizens in Israel to shelter in place. While a State Department official had previously urged Americans in the Middle East to evacuate to Cairo or Amman, the Center's administration opted to stay put due to a decrease in missile launches toward urban areas near Jerusalem.
The security situation at the Center has fluctuated since early 2026. In late February and early March, the Center experienced incidents involving shrapnel from intercepted Iranian missiles falling in the greater Jerusalem area. While no direct missile attacks targeted Jerusalem, pieces of metal debris landed on Center grounds and in nearby locations like Sultan's Pool.
Prior to these events, the Center had been operating under a period of relative stability following the end of the war in Gaza in October 2025, which had allowed for a recovery in tourism and increased visitor numbers in Jerusalem.
