Outgoing Interior Minister Aryeh Deri last week approved a pilot plan to allow individual tourists into Israel from a list of countries to be determined by the Health Ministry.

Tourists must be vaccinated to enter Israel and must show proof of vaccination as well as a negative coronavirus test before boarding the plane to Israel. Those who have recovered from the coronavirus but haven’t been vaccinated will not be allowed entry.

Tour groups that fulfilled certain criteria were allowed into Israel beginning on May 23.

“I’m happy that the hard work of the Tourism Ministry, in cooperation with the Health, Foreign and Interior ministries, led to the Interior Ministry’s important announcement on the easing of the restrictions for the entry of vaccinated tourists and the expansion of the entry of individual tourists to Israel beginning on July 1,” Tourism Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen stated on Friday.

“The time has come for Israel to open up tourism and take advantage of Israel’s status as a vaccinated country for the benefit of its economy.”

It’s possible that the change of government on Sunday may delay the implementation of the pilot plan.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)