LY777

Hi guys,

when is Israel likely to open its borders?

Thanks

hopeful_me

According to a Ynet article (linked below, in Hebrew), it is rumored/estimated that quanantine-free entry will be postponed till August-September:
https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,73...748661,00.html

shuly

TheMarker (Hebrew, paywall) concurs: not before mid-July, and likely later, due to a plethora of irrelevant reasons.
Bottom line is of course that nobody knows, and it seems to be at the discretion of the prime minister.

Shuly

craz

OP Id say as long as the #s keep increasing as they have recently where serveral citys are being considered as Hot Spots and shut down, I doubt any non-Israelis will be let in as a tourist

shuly

HaAretz today quotes Netanyahu as saying that the target date for renewing flights and restoring tourism is August 1st.

Shuly

LY777

Let’s hope that the situation improves sharply

safari ari

I think they are only going to let certain countries that have shown to reduce/monitor the numbers entry for touristic reasons first. So countries like the USA will not be permitted, compared to a country like S.K. I think Greece, Cyprus and some other eastern block countries are going to be allowed entry first. Even a report today that the August 1st date is for reciprocal travel with Greek nationals.

LY777

Do French tourists have a chance ?
The situation is under control for now at least

craz

are you saying its been 14 days since any new cases have popped up? And is France open to all comers?

LY777

There is still now about 200 new cases per day... But it is way better than it was in April...

And France has now opened its borders to other Countries of the Schengen area.

M60_to_LGA

I have fully resigned myself to not being able to come to Israel this year as I had planned, as I unfortunately live in the third world (i.e., the US), and we don't stand a chicharrón vendor's chance in Mea Shearim of getting this disease under control anytime soon.

Between the utter failure of American governance and our likely slide into repression and armed conflict, I'm seriously considering aliyah... but that wouldn't be for a while yet - next year at the earliest. Unless things get really bad, in which case all bets are off...

craz

well there u go, u just answered your own question. If France wont let Israelis in why should Israel let the French in

LY777

From July 1st, France will open its borders to selected countries outside of the Schengen area

craz

Is Israel one of the Countrys whose citizens will be allowed in?

rafi2k6

I think that the borders should remain closed until AFTER Sukkot / Simchat Torah.

My concern is that a lot of devout Yidden (Jews) from all over the world normally decent upon Yerushalayim, Bnei Brak, and other cities to be with their Rebbe or Rabbi for Rosh Hashana / Yom Kippur / Sukkot.

I can speak from personal experience, social distancing and taking the pandemic seriously is not a thing in the religious sphere, specifically the Hareidi circles. I am not talking about Sruga circles here.

And knowing what we know about the situation in the Divided States of America, where a civil war is brewing & no concern for maintaining social distancing: it can only spell disaster for Israel.

Case in point: 10,000 Belzer Chassidim travel to Israel to be with their Rebbe for Rosh Hashana, the Shul is packed to the brim, everybody is touching each other, sharing food (Shrayim) and singing and coughing and sneezing all in close quarters- what the flip do you think will result from that?

I'm not anti-religious, I myself am a Frum Yid, but I am able to recognize the faults of my community. For the safety of Israel, the borders should remain closed to all non-citizens and all tourists from non-approved countries. In other words, any country still grappling with COVID-19 should be banned until there are either significantly fewer cases or no cases at all.

Am I taking a hardline stance? Maybe.
But I belive that my stance is the correct one to take.