Israel will reopen to vaccinated foreign tourists on Sunday, January 9, the Ministry of Health has recommended. The recommendation is subject to approval by the Knesset Health Committee. Foreign tourists from high infection "red countries," which includes the US and UK, will remain barred from Israel unless granted a special exemption. Only tourists who have received a booster vaccination, or a second vaccination within the past six months, or have recovered from Covid, will be allowed into Israel.
Incoming foreign tourists will still be required to show a negative PCR or antigen test before boarding their flight to Israel and take another test on landing at5 Ben Gurion airport. They must remain in isolation for the first 24 hours, or until they receive a negative test result (whichever is the earlier of the two), Globes reports.
The Ministry of Health has also recommended reducing the list of "red" countries from 15 to eight with Canada, France, Spain, Portugal, Hungary, South Africa and Nigeria taken off the list. The eight countries remaining on the list are the US, UK, Switzerland, Turkey, Mexico, the UAE, Tanzania and Ethiopia.
The Ministry of Health has also relaxed the restrictions for Israelis returning home from abroad. Israelis who are fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid will only need to remain in isolation for the first 24 hours, or until they receive a negative test result (whichever is the earlier of the two).
