Has Ben Gurion Airport closed? Those flying to Israel will be required to present a negative corona test | Israel Today

After it was revealed that thousands of patients came to Israel from countries around the world, and following the spread of the British and South African mutations, the Ministry of Health decided to restrict entry to the country • Vaccinated and corona recoverers will not have to present a test • In the past, Edelstein accused legal advice

• Passengers arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, archive

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  Coco, the people photographed have nothing to do with the content of the article

Closure: The

Ministry of Health announced tonight (Friday) that starting at midnight tonight, any passenger wishing to fly to Israel will be required to present a negative corona test - conducted up to three days before departure, or alternatively present a vaccinated or recovering permit issued by the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Health stated that this arrangement will apply to an incoming passenger who has been outside Israel for more than 72 hours, except for exceptional approvals that will be approved individually, and for an incoming passenger who is a flight crew member, only if arriving in Israel for more than 72 hours. From the State of Israel before 7 days have elapsed from the date of the second vaccination, he will be charged with full isolation regardless of the date of his entry into Israel.

In recent weeks, the ministry has been criticized for continuing to check passengers at Ben Gurion Airport, claiming that the arrival of these passengers caused an increase in infection in Israel, and even the spread of British and South African mutations, which apparently arrived in Israel from abroad. 

Edelstein blamed legal counsel, Mandelblit's bureau: "Wrong statement"

Just this week, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein addressed the loophole and criticism, claiming that the loophole was created due to legal directive, which did not allow the entry of intruders without inspection.

"In the last day I have a very difficult feeling," Edelstein said on Tuesday during the cabinet meeting. "I have never hidden behind anyone, neither legal nor political. In the last day the whole world is sure I'm lying, we fell asleep on guard, and we did not come with a charge of testing. "To.

I did not get lazy, I went to check the protocols.

I checked just a little.

"For example, on December 25 at the cabinet meeting there was a discussion attended by the prime minister, me and the deputy ombudsman Raz Nazri, who explained that the only way to get tests of returnees from abroad is to declare the whole world red and then everyone must isolate in a motel and only then release "Those who did tests on Corona. From this we all concluded that it is not possible to oblige people to test in person. I did not come to quarrel with anyone. I am glad that the matter worked out, but stop saying that we never addressed this issue."

According to government sources, the issue has come up for discussion with the participation of legal counsel on several occasions.

Edelstein accused the ombudsman on Monday of preventing the Ministries of Health and Tourism from issuing a regulation for several months that would require Israeli tourists and travelers who returned from abroad to undergo a corona examination - as a condition for their entry into Israel.

He said that although the Ministry of Health had requested this several months ago, Mandelblit had only responded to the request in recent days.

Attorney General Mandelblit's office responded on Tuesday: "Following a number of falsified publications, we make it clear that there is no truth in the claim that legal advice to the government ever prevented, in any way, conditional entry into the country from abroad by presenting a negative corona test. During the past week, we emphasize that there is an appropriate legal way to settle the issue, and this has also been communicated to the relevant policy makers.

"Legal advisers to the government will continue to provide legal solutions to help the government implement its policy within the bounds of the law, as has been done so far, and we are sorry for misleading the public through incorrect statements in this regard."