Health minister Nitzan Horowitz and senior Israeli ministry of health officials on Wednesday (16 February) agreed a series of recommendations to ease the country’s Omicron restrictions, which have been passed to the country’s government for review. These include:

• Allowing foreign children under the age of 12 who are accompanied by a fully vaccinated parent to enter the country, pending a period of isolation until they test negative for Covid-19;
• Removing all tests on flights back to Israel, arrivals will only need to complete a single PCR test on arrival at Ben Gurion International airport; and
• Ending the country’s green pass requirement at "at-risk" venues such as wedding and conference halls on 1 March.

A number of Covid-19 restrictions will, though, remain in place. These include denying access to Israel to unvaccinated foreign travellers over the age of 12, and requiring face masks to continue to be worn in all enclosed spaces.

Sharon Ehrlich Bershadsky, director of the Israel Government Tourist Office in London, said : “We are extremely happy with this news on the expected relaxations in all Omicron restrictions.

“Travelling as a family has been hard to navigate over the past couple of years and we hope that soon the process will be even easier for tourists looking to come and enjoy the abundant experiences Israel has to offer, or for those looking to reunite with loved ones.”