A letter signed by the director general of the Ministry of Health reveals that the country will also demand isolation of returnees from countries such as the United Arab Emirates and Seychelles.
Ben Gurion Airport is deserted from passengers // Photo: Gideon Markovich
Photography:
Gideon Markovich
Israel intends to declare all the countries of the world red, according to a document signed by Health Ministry Director General Hezi Levy.
The decision, which the Foreign Ministry is expected to try to change, means that anyone returning from any country abroad will have to stay in solitary confinement. Currently, solitary confinement is for 10 days subject to two tests, or 14 days without tests.
During December, about fifty thousand Israelis were supposed to visit Dubai, but if there is no last-minute change, the numbers are expected to drop very significantly.
It is important to emphasize that it is still possible to fly abroad, what is changing is the issue of isolation back to Israel.
Sources in the Ministry of Health, including Dr. Sharon Elrai Price, were the ones who pushed for the move. Last week they tried to promote it, but Foreign Ministry efforts managed to block the decision, this time the chances of it happening are very low.
Airlines are already expressing outrage at the decision and understand that most of the workers who have returned from sick leave will have to leave again, following demand that is expected to drop by tens of percent.