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As COVID-19 cases spike, Israel goes back into temporary lockdown while airport remains open

Katherine Fan
Katherine Fan
Contributor
Katherine Fan is a former senior travel features reporter at The Points Guy who covered everything from personal finance to travel and aviation.
Sept. 14, 2020
•
3 min read
Old town and port of Jaffa, Tel Aviv city, Israel
As COVID-19 cases spike, Israel goes back into temporary lockdown while airport remains open
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Mere weeks after the Israeli government reopened the country's economy, COVID threatens to shut down Israel again.

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a second lockdown Sunday night September 13 for a temporary period of three weeks, declaring that the country's sudden spike in cases had led "health services to raise a red flag." Netanyahu assured the people that Israel's economy was still in good shape, and stated that the second wave was typical of many other countries worldwide which had reopened their economies.

Related: Where can Americans travel right now?

The country started out strong with a proactive approach to the pandemic. Back in March, Israel was one of the first worldwide to issue blanket quarantines to all incoming arrivals, regardless of nationality. This included Israeli nationals, which greatly contributed to Israel flattening its infection curve to around 50 new cases per day in early May. Cases quickly spiked once businesses, schools and houses of worship reopened, however, leading to a second wave of patients.

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Now, as the first Israeli hospital prepares to turn away patients due to overcrowding and cases continue to rise to historic highs, the cabinet voted to put the economy back on a temporary three-week lockdown.

Related: A country-by-country guide to global reopenings

Under the terms of this latest quarantine, residents across the country would have to observe the following guidelines:

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  • People are restricted from traveling beyond a 500-meter radius from their houses
  • Group gatherings will be limited to 10 people indoors and 20 outdoors
  • Markets and pharmacies will remain open
  • Authorities have not yet decided if houses of worship will be closed down as well

Notably, Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport (TLV) will remain open after some initial uncertainty. Israelis departing TLV must be able to show their tickets four hours before their flight in order to leave the 500-meter house quarantine perimeter without violating the terms of lockdown. Returning travelers can enter freely without quarantine when returning from "green" countries, while travelers entering Israel after passing through "red" countries must observe a 14-day quarantine at home upon arrival. The full list of approved countries can be found here.

The decision to implement a second lockdown has been met with significant controversy from individuals and business owners alike, as the lockdown dates coincide with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, two of the biggest Jewish holidays of the year.

Related: In a historic event, an El Al flight lands in Abu Dhabi for the first time

Related: Etihad just made the first-ever known airline flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel

Netanyahu also drew ire from critics for flying to the U.S. immediately after making his announcement, where Israel and the UAE are signing a historic peace-brokering agreement.

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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