In the first phase, there will be flights to only five destinations • Israelis will be able to return without the approval of the Exceptions Committee • The hotels also opened today • The full outline
After long weeks, Ben-Gurion Airport opened today (Sunday) to passenger traffic and with quite a few benefits for the vaccinated and recovering.
The airport was initially opened for direct flights to five destinations - Kiev, London, New York, Frankfurt and Paris.
Pilot bracelets started at Ben Gurion Airport, last week // Reporter: Shimon Yaish, Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon
Currently, those who only hold an Israeli passport can enter only three of these destinations, and they are New York, London and Kiev.
Each of the destinations has restrictions, some of which require isolation after landing.
Any Israeli who is abroad will be able to return to Israel without a permit from the Exceptions Committee. The decision means that the Exceptions Committee will only be used to give permits to those who have not been vaccinated or recovered, to leave Israel.
Vaccinated and recovering can from today leave the country without the need for approval from the Exceptions Committee, and as long as the outline remains, they will be able to return as well without any restriction.
Anyone who returns from abroad and has not recovered or is resilient in Israel will have to go into home isolation for 10 days subject to two tests, or 14 days without the need for tests.
Pilot of green flights
660 new inspectors will be specially trained to enforce the issue of returning returnees from abroad and the task has been set as a “top priority.” Those who are vaccinated or recovered are completely exempt from isolation back from abroad.
At the same time, the government ministries involved are working to promote technological enforcement solutions, including the electronic bracelet that has been in the pilot since last week.
According to the outline, about 3,000 Israelis a day will be able to enter the country.
Transport Minister Miri Regev stated that in the first week the number will be only 1,000 people for the purpose of organizing.
It is important to emphasize that anyone who has not been vaccinated or recovered is required to have a corona examination within 72 hours before leaving Israel.
Everyone will undergo a further inspection even after landing in Israel.
At the same time, more destinations for direct flights are expected to open in the coming days, including Toronto, Hong Kong and other destinations.
We emphasize that there is a list of countries that allow entry for Israeli tourists, including Turkey, the United States, Mexico, the United Arab Emirates, Panama, Costa Rica, Georgia and the Seychelles.
The last two allow entry for vaccinated Israelis only, and it is estimated that more countries will soon be added that will allow entry for vaccinated tourists.
The Ministries of Health and Transportation will later also consider the entry of vaccinated foreign tourists, but at the moment the issue seems far away.
Ramon Airport in Eilat is also expected to open, with the aim of reducing congestion at Ben-Gurion Airport.
Tomorrow, the pilot of the green flights will be examined for the first time, so that if it succeeds, the flights of the Israeli companies that will depart from Israel and return to Israel will be operated.
The pilot, as first revealed about two weeks ago on the "Israel Today" website, will be carried out on an EL AL flight to New York, during which passengers who have not been vaccinated will undergo a rapid corona test.
Meanwhile, after many months, hotels in Israel are opening in full format, including dining rooms all over the country.
According to the outline implemented today, all hotels in Israel will be allowed to operate the dining rooms and almost all other attractions, including pools and even conferences and events within the framework of the purple mark.
Those who are allowed to enter the hotels are only vaccinated and recovering, alongside children under the age of 16 who will present a negative result for a corona test.