Border control tries to bar tourists from West Bank, then retracts

Tour operators were surprised recently to receive a letter from the head of the border control asking them to sign a commitment not to allow tourists into the West Bank.

Channel 2 showed a copy of the letter that was headlined “requirement not to take tour groups into Judea and Samaria” and signed by the head of border control in the population registry.

Such a ban would prevent tourists from visiting Jewish settlements and bar Christian pilgrims from important sites like Bethlehem and the Jordan River.

However, Channel 2 said that the border control say the letter was a mistake and should have focused on Palestinian controlled areas. And even in those cases, there is no blanket ban.

The border authority tells Channel 2 they will reissue a letter to clarify the situation.