Israel to readmit COVID-vaccinated foreign tourists next month

JERUSALEM - Individual tourists who are vaccinated against COVID-19 will be able to enter Israel from month, the government said on Thursday, further easing curbs on foreign arrivals that were imposed when the pandemic broke out.

A joint plan between the tourism and health ministries and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will allow the admission of foreigners who received vaccines from Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca and others as of November 1.

The plan is subject to cabinet approval and "will be updated in accordance with developments and the discovery of new variants", the joint statement said.

Israel's borders have largely been closed to foreigners since March 2020. It has in recent months allowed in small groups of vaccinated tourists and first-degree relatives of Israelis.

The tourism ministry has been pushing hard to allow all vaccinated tourists to enter. Israel's economy is open with the exception of the battered tourism sector.

The health ministry has advised caution given the possibility of new coronavirus variants.