Israel to reopen to first overseas tourists in August

Israel’s ministry of tourism is considering reopening the country’s borders to "green countries", those with lower rates of coronavirus infection, in August.

Six hotels in Jerusalem have reopened, with two more to follow this week. A further six will open in July, followed by another four in August; by peak summer, the tourist office expects almost all of the city’s 4,000 hotel rooms to be available.

Restaurants are reopening with a 1.5-metre gap between tables, while the city’s Mahane Yehuda market has also reopened.

All guests will be subject to temperature checks, and venues that can accommodate more than 100 people will be restricted to 85% capacity.

Pre-booking and pre-payment will be available for all key tourist attractions. Those that have already reopened include the Ramparts Walk, Tzadikaya Cave, Givat Ram Amphitheater, Ammunition Hill, the National Library, the Biblical Zoo, the Botanical Gardens, Ein Karem and Yamin Moshe.

Museums and archaeological sites to have reopened include The City of David’s night show, various open areas and promenades, the Tower of David and a new exhibition, the Western Wall Tunnels and the Western Wall.

Other museums open include the Hertzel Museum, Islamic Art Museum, Music Museum, Nature Museum and the Friends of Zion Museum.