Diaspora minister hails decision to reopen borders to all tourists

Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai hails the government’s decision to allow all tourists — vaccinated or not — to enter the country, saying this was a boon to people around the world who have struggled to visit the country during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I am happy that the prime minister has responded positively to the requests of thousands of families around the world, Jews and non-Jews alike, who have sought to meet up once again after a long period of separation caused in part by restrictions such as the ban on entry for unvaccinated children,” Shai says.

Israel’s at-time total closures of its borders to non-citizens were harshly criticized by Jewish leaders around the world, who argued that as the nation-state of the Jewish people and the home to roughly half the world’s Jewish population, the country had a responsibility to keep itself open to Jewish visitors.

Addressing those criticisms at a conference on the Israel-Diaspora relationship last week, Shai said that while the country made extensive efforts to explain its thought process in closing the borders he “wasn’t sure those explanations were accepted” by Jewish communities abroad.

“After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic the time has come to return to a more normal reality and to live alongside this virus, along with appropriate measures to preserve public health. The opening of Israel’s skies is great news for anyone with family in Israel who can now come and celebrate Passover and Purim together here in Israel. We’re waiting for you!” he says.