Newly appointed Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked confirmed that Israel will open its doors to vaccinated tourists, as well as children up to age six, at the beginning of the month. However, many details regarding travel into Israel remain up in the air.
Former Yesh Atid MK Dov Lipman, who has been instrumental in the last few months in helping American foreigners reunite with their family members in Israel, wrote on Facebook Sunday that there are “many details that still need to be worked out” regarding July 1.
These pending details include which vaccines will require serological testing once in Israel and a confirmed list of countries whose tourists will not be allowed in due to increasing COVID-19 cases. Currently, Israelis are allowed to travel to any country except those with high morbidity rates including Argentina, Brazil, India, Mexico, Russia, and South Africa.
Israel has also yet to release any information regarding whether or not unvaccinated tourists with documentation of recovery from Covid-19 will be allowed in the country. Information on the exemption process for unvaccinated people is also not available to the public.
Emma Shapiro, a recent graduate from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, describes herself as ‘stupidly optimistic’ about her upcoming trip amid these various uncertainties.
Shapiro is planning to travel with her sister to Israel on July 2 as a graduation present from her parents. However, the information that she is able to find online about visiting Israel as an individual tourist as well as the documentation required prior to her trip is “outdated and contradictory.”
Shapiro is hoping that if there is any reason she wouldn't be able to fly, Israel would inform her in New York before her trip begins.
“I’m not going to fly to Israel if I don’t know for sure that I’ll be let into the country,” Shapiro said.
Similar to Shapiro, Gaby Danziger of Houston, Texas, is planning on traveling to Israel for a family vacation shortly after the country reopens.
Danzinger said that she “does not feel the most secure in this trip because there is confusion over the July 1 opening date potentially being pushed back.”
However, Danzinger remains hopeful that her July 3 trip will take place according to plan.
Adi Aharoni, CEO of popular travel agency Israel Experts, hosted the first tourist group since the pandemic began.
Aharoni brought a group to Israel on May 27 as part of the Ministry of Tourism’s pilot program. The group was fully vaccinated and tested for Covid-19 within 72 hours of their flights. They also filled out all of the required paperwork and were Covid tested upon arrival at the airport along with a serological test once they were settled in the country. By the next morning the group was cleared to travel around the country.
Aharoni believes that tourism will certainly be made easier after July 1, but exactly how much easier he is not sure. Members of Aharoni’s tours have found themselves turning to him with their laundry list of questions about travel to Israel post-Covid, although Aharoni is unable to answer many of the questions confidently due to a lack of information from authorities.
For certain groups of tourists these uncertainties make planning a trip to Israel near impossible.
“There are many Evangelicals who are wanting to visit Israel with my tour group, but they refuse to get vaccinated and therefore can’t” said Aharoni.
Additionally, Aharoni’s clients are typically from around the world including a significant contingent from South America. However, due to rising Covid-19 rates in that region South American tourists will not currently be allowed into Israel.
As confusion persists, potential tourists remain vigilant in their efforts to return to Israel after an at least year and a half long hiatus.
Jamie Hayeem, a potential summer tourist from London, said that he “checks the news daily to make sure nothing has changed in terms of when Israel plans to open.”
Hayeem typically spends his summers with friends at his family’s home in Caesarea, something that he is hoping to do again this July. His optimism is shared by many tourists looking to return to Israel this summer and enjoy a pre-pandemic style vacation.