Updated March 2, 2021 12:31PM IST
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Reports over the past 36 hours indicate that Ben Gurion Airport is likely to reopen on Sunday, March 7. It should be noted that this decision is probable, but not final. Importantly, this change will only affect Israeli citizens. For the past 5 weeks, Israelis have needed special permission to enter or exit Israel, and this is now expected to end.
Chaim V’Chessed has seen a deluge of callers who, mistakenly, have interpreted this news to mean that foreigners will now be permitted to enter Israel . This is incorrect. The ban on foreign visitors, including students, will remain in place. There is no change to this policy. Furthermore, despite persistent rumors, at this time, being vaccinated or recovered from Corona plays no role in permission to enter Israel.
In a related topic, returnees to Israel continue to be required to quarantine in government hotels, unless they have recovered from Corona or been vaccinated. However, a new pilot program began yesterday, which allows passengers to instead, quarantine at home, while wearing an ankle bracelet monitoring device. Some passengers who arrived on Monday March 1 were already given this option, which requires a deposit of 1500 NIS. It is expected to be offered to an increasing number of travelers each day.