Israel cancels its red list and opens borders

Residents from countries formerly on the red list, including the UAE, will now be able to enter the country

TravelIsrael has announced that it will fully reopen its borders, cancelling its list of red countries, pending Israeli government approval.

The recommendation to drop the red list came from the Israeli Health Ministry director-general Nachman Ash.

The Health Ministry posted the following statement on Twitter: “All countries will be removed from the list of red countries subject to the approval of the government and the Knesset’s Constitution Committee. Despite the change, it should be noted that in many countries around the world the morbidity situation is higher than in Israel, so it is advisable to avoid reaching these places unnecessarily as much as possible.”

The Ministry was quick to point out that although the list is being removed, travellers should still exercise caution when making the decision to travel.

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Provided they are fully vaccinated under the Health Ministry’s criteria, the move will allow Israelis to travel again anywhere in the world without needing special governmental permission or to quarantine for a week upon their return.

Inbound travellers are required to present a negative Covid-19 test in order to board the flight (either a PCR test taken less than 72 hours prior to departure or an antigen test less than 24 hours before departure), and take a PCR test upon landing in Israel. Those who are vaccinated will be able to leave quarantine as soon as they receive a negative result; those who aren’t must stay quarantined for a week and take a second test on the seventh day.