Israel approved the outline of inbound tourism to Israel: Entry approved without buster vaccination

Israel approved on Sunday night the outline of inbound tourism to Israel. The Corona Cabinet approved in a telephone poll the outline of the tourist groups initiated by Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz and Tourism Minister Yoel Rezbozov.
The entry of tourist groups to Israel began as early as September, but now - in accordance with the approval of the outline, tourist groups will be able to enter the country even if they are not vaccinated with a third vaccine, provided they confirm a negative result in a recent corona test.
According to the new outline, which will take effect tomorrow, groups of tourists vaccinated with two vaccines will be allowed to enter Israel even if more than six months have passed from the date of receipt of the vaccine, if they meet the following conditions:
* An entry permit was received from the Ministry of Tourism prior to arrival in Israel.
* All group members have been vaccinated with vaccines approved by the World Health Organization (even if more than six months have passed since receiving the vaccine).
* Group members come from "green" and "yellow" countries according to the Ministry of Health classification.
* The group will be run as a capsule, with restrictions on walking around in places with an increased risk of infection.
* The groups will number five to 40 tourists.
* For the first seven days of your stay, the unprotected tourists in the group will have at any time a confirmation of a negative result in a PCR test performed during the last 72 hours or a negative result in an antigen test performed during the last 24 hours.
* The group leader will report to the Ministry of Tourism on the performance of the tests as required and will also keep a record of the group's conduct, contacts, places and visiting hours, and will give it to an epidemiological researcher if a patient is found in the group.
Last week - and for the first time since March 2020, the gates of Israel were opened to lone and vaccinated tourists, and already that morning hundreds of tourists landed at Ben Gurion Airport. One of them is Lauren, a US resident who came to Israel for the first time in her life with Momentum. "I am very excited to be here," she said in an interview with Ynet. "It is a great honor. I look forward to seeing in Israel all the things I have heard about."
"In accordance with our policy all the way, we will also live alongside the corona in tourism," said Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz. "We take all precautions and controls in order to maintain public health and identify new variants quickly. At the same time, we maintain the Israeli economy, economic activity, education, culture, tourism and the routine of life in Israel."
Tourism Minister Yoel Rezbozov added that "a week ago we set off and we are already gearing up, removing restrictions and approving more tourists to enter Israel." "The road to returning tourists is still long, so we must act quickly and correctly to increase the number of tourists. The Israeli economy needs it and of course the workers in the tourism industry need it." Now that it has been approved by the government, the outline requires the approval of the Knesset's Constitution Committee, after which it will take effect.
Former Director General of the Ministry of Health Prof. Hezi Levy commented on the outline and clarified that some precautions still need to be taken. About tourists who come from countries where the morbidity is rising. I would apply to tourists the same conditions that apply to Israelis. "
The chairman of the Constitution Committee, MK Gilad Karib (Labor), threatened to recommend not approving the outline, as it was laid on the committee's table at a late hour - without a discussion. "We are talking about the tourism outline for weeks. Regulations were laid on our table only at midnight and it will take effect even before the committee has time to convene," Karib explained. "The outline imposes duties and duties on travel agents and has substantive comments on it."
"There is a feeling here that you see a rubber stamp in the Knesset," the chairman said angrily. How can your hand not tremble when you assume a completely new outline at midnight? I am considering recommending to the committee members not to approve it, and if I do approve - it will be for a few days to allow the committee to discuss the outline seriously. "
One of the tourist groups that landed in Israel this week is a group of residents of the United States, who came on behalf of the FIDF organization (Friends of the IDF in the United States) on a cycling trip to various sites in the north. "I'm so happy to be back in beautiful, good Israel," said Mark McKay, of Houston, Texas. "As soon as we got a green light to enter here I immediately signed up for the group. Despite the bureaucracy, the tests and the green mark - I insisted on coming and with me all the members of the group. We enjoy it so much."
There are those who actually do not really like the outline and claim that it is "cumbersome and limited". "It is a pity that government ministries do not take advantage of the fact that Israel is green and release a number of restrictions as is happening around the world," said Oni Amiel of the tourism company Amiel Tours. "The inbound tourism industry is still paralyzed, tourists from around the world expect to come here but in the meantime receive a refusal and choose other destinations. This is a big miss for the Israeli economy, for the industry - and especially for tourists."