Update, 1/31: The airport will remain closed through at least next Sunday and a hotel quarantine will be required for anyone who arrives into Israel from abroad on a rescue flight.
Update, 1/27: Prime Minister Netanyahu announced that Ben Gurion Airport will remain closed past January 31st, though the length of the closure extension is still being negotiated. Previously it was rumored that the airport could remain closed until March to allow for Israel to vaccinate nearly all of its adult population. We may see week by week extensions as Israel examines the results of the closure.
Israel is also closing land borders with Egypt and Jordan. The Allenby Crossing with Jordan will only be open to residents of Judea and Samaria.
That will officially kill the Avi Liberman loophole that people were using to fly in and out of airports in those countries.
Originally posted on 1/24:
The Israeli government has voted to close Tel Aviv/Ben Gurion Airport from Tuesday at 12AM through at least 11:59pm on Sunday, January 31st.
All passenger flights will be banned during that time period. Charter flights will be approved only in cases of life and death or cargo flights.
Even charter aliya flights will be cancelled.
Israel hopes to vaccinate 1 million Israelis during that timeframe.
Some ministers wanted a shutdown until March to allow for time to vaccinate nearly all of the adults in Israel, but for now an agreement was reached to close the airport through the end of the month.
Do you think that Israel will extend the closure of the airport past Sunday?
HT: Ellie B.
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115 Comments On "[Update: Airport Closure Extended For 1 Week, Hotel Quarantine Required For Rescue Flights] Israel Will Close Ben Gurion Airport Through At Least The End Of January"
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Once it’s closed, it’s probably easier to extend it for a few days, especially if they have an attainable goal within reach.
Like the seger.. it always start will a set time period and always ended up being extended.
How long do you predict TLV will be closed for?
It’s being discussed in the ddf thread.
My money is on 2 weeks, this way it also gives the government enough time to finalize the legal framework of the green passport.
If numbers improve / worsen it could be shortened / extended imho
What about all the bochurim that came to Crown Heights for Yud Shvat?!?
No reason to travel en masse during a global pandemic. Just irresponsible
You got it. So many irresponsible, selfish kids in this world, right?
Incompetence by the government that was already requiring a negative corona test and 14 day in corona hotel. This closure will do nothing but harm those trying to make aliyah or return to Israel. Disgusting move by government. A crackdown on Haredi disregard for rules would be actually helpful.
Dansdeals is not a site for expressing your haredi hate u can go on Twitter or Facebook there it is welcomed
But doesn’t make it not true!
the israeli solution to every problem is to make a pogrom in a chareidi neighborhood and then they have someone to blame because people dared to scream nazi
The infection rate with the Haredi is actually lower then at the General population.
Most of the infections are now coming from tourist (Hilunim)
They did everything to gain the mistrust of the Chareidim and they succeeded Big Time!!
You are completely correct. I am one such Israeli stranded outside of the country, and it is extremely frustrating.
What about cargo such as all Israeli goods and food that we eat here will that still be going as usual
Read the post 🙂
It’s gotten completely out of hand and is way too political at this point. Every one of these politicians should be ashamed of themselves. Viruses will virus. Mutations will happen. And not everyone will be vaccinated. The population here is scared out of their minds, except for those who realize the politicians have no clue, and are caught in a vicious cycle. It’s sad to see how some people have been driven into abject poverty, not leaving their house, their kids begging for food. And others are just following like sheep. Thank G-d for the few who are smart enough to think for themselves. But too many plan to move away as soon as they can.
Well spoken. Ive even seen vaccinated people in fear. Come on!! They should buy a lottery ticket. More of a chance they’ll win than die from covid.
There were 5 lottery jackpot winners in 2020 in the US and 400,000 people died from COVID.
#Math
Sadly, the fear doesn’t end with the vaccine. I don’t know what needs to happen for people to feel safe again. The world has pushed this too far. It’s very sad.
Vast majority were nursing home and 80+… if u are very old or very sick then u are at risk – if ur younger than 65 no need or reason to disrupt ur life. Luck we love in lakewood where there is no more COVID-19!
Like the 31 year old frum man who died a couple weeks ago in the ny area who had no preexisting conditions. If you keep on repeating the same lies they don’t become truth if majority of “frum” community pretends the disease doesn’t exist it doesn’t make it so. The denial is just to justify the anti torah behavior that has taken place for months now of maskless large gatherings.
FACT CHECK! Lakewood currently has lots of Covid unfortunately.
YOSSI says they don’t, so they don’t!
Absolute BS
Even lakewood Hatzala says differently. Numbers are rising again.
OK, so risk Grandma and Grandpas lives, because you can’t respect others, beliefs? Do you recall how many ppl died in Lakewood in March/April. I don’t necessarily believe in the restrictions or rules, but by not following the local rules, it fuels antisemitism, and unnecessary criticism.
You can correctly argue that many of the reported deaths are not accurate, or they were gonna pass anyway, but it still is a new disease that is unpredictable. Politicians have no idea how to handle, and every day they are contradicting themselves
Israel has all there money on the success of the vaccine, and they want to make sure that they do it right this time. They are banking that it will give them more invaluable clout in the eyes of the world, as a medical & tech powerhouse.
Exactly. Israel would rather get a little validation from the goyim than salvage its own clobbered economy.
להיות ככל העמים בית ישראל
It will never happen. A Jew is a Jew. Stop trying to impress everybody, Israel, and be who you are.
Read my comment carefully. I was talking about vaccinated people.
@Logoc – You are likely to still be able to be a carrier after 2 vaccinations + 14 days…
Fake news.
https://www.fda.gov/media/144245/download
Vaccine effectiveness against transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Data are limited to assess the effect of the vaccine against transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from
individuals who are infected despite vaccination. Demonstrated high efficacy against
symptomatic COVID-19 may translate to overall prevention of transmission in populations with
high enough vaccine uptake, though it is possible that if efficacy against asymptomatic infection
were lower than efficacy against symptomatic infection, asymptomatic cases in combination with
reduced mask-wearing and social distancing could result in significant continued transmission.
Additional evaluations including data from clinical trials and from vaccine use post-authorization
will be needed to assess the effect of the vaccine in preventing virus shedding and
transmission, in particular in individuals with asymptomatic infection.
This is CYA mumbo jumbo.
Don’t take my word for it though, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/briefing/donald-trump-pardon-phil-spector-coronavirus-deaths.html
“Although no rigorous study has yet analyzed whether vaccinated people can spread the virus, it would be surprising if they did. “If there is an example of a vaccine in widespread clinical use that has this selective effect — prevents disease but not infection — I can’t think of one!” Dr. Paul Sax of Harvard has written in The New England Journal of Medicine. (And, no, exclamation points are not common in medical journals.) On Twitter, Dr. Monica Gandhi of the University of California, San Francisco, argued: “Please be assured that YOU ARE SAFE after vaccine from what matters — disease and spreading.””
but whats the reason that mostly every day is there some news reports from officials that we dont know if the vaccine will stop transmission and we need to continue with masks and social distance
Lo plug.
And how do you enforce rules if you don’t know who is or isn’t vaccinated?
Pertussis, for one?
You can only be a carrier if you get the virus so technically the chances of being a carrier is minimized by 98%. That’s not likely at all
Nope. Zero people who were fully vaccinated died from covid and 5 people won the lottery.
#CorrectMath
But plenty of those partially vaccinated i.e. Hank Aaron, Larry King,….BDH
the vaccine hasn’t stopped deaths from CCP virus of those over that average life expectancy 78.6yrs in US .
My 95 y.o. Auntie and her son both survived CCP virus in NY (but we’re hospitalized) neither were vaccinated.
It’s truly all up to Hashem.
A 67 year old Israeli was niftar today after he had the 2nd vaccine
Even with a 2nd dose, you have to wait for it to be fully effective
Please send me the article on this story. Most of these stories are people who die from other reasons and are just the media stoking fear and undermining faith in the vaccines effectiveness.
“Some ministers wanted a longer shutdown to allow for time to vaccinate nearly all of the adults in Israel, but for now an agreement was reached to close the airport through the end of the month.”
For the love of G-d, can somebody PLEASE explain to me the rationale behind this stupidity? What on earth does closing the airport have to do with vaccinating people – are they afraid that if they leave the airport open, people will flee the country instead of getting vaccinated?
Similar to last week, when they wanted to extend the lockdown “to give us an opportunity to vaccinate more of the population”… how does that make sense – if you coop people up at home, they’ll be more willing to get a shot in the arm? What on earth does one have to do with the other?
I actually think that’s exactly the strategy. By taking away freedoms, more people will vaccinate out of desire to go back to normal.
I think that will be replicated in the US to some extent later this year as well.
Using fear as a tool to control people. Sounds like Communist China and Russia to me.
I hope you don’t agree with that.
Taking away freedoms to force a medical procedure? Ever heard of the medical experiments they did on the Jews during the holocaust?
This has gone way too far.
Never said I agree with it, but it will likely prove effective.
This shud be written in the post it’s so on target. This is exactly the ulterior motive here. Good luck for something similar to this happening in the USA
@Dan Ummmmmm… how would that make sense? The vast majority of people who don’t want the vaccine are people who don’t care to travel (or who can’t afford it) anyway. So closing the borders has zero impact on their way of life, and does not incentivize them at all to get vaccinated.
If anything, people who DO want to travel would try to get vaccinated ASAP regardless (like I did), so that we can travel without restrictions; if anything closing the airport *takes away* our incentive to vaccinate, since we have less of a reason to want to get it if we can’t fly anywhere anyway…
The rosh gadol/katan mentality is why…big & little stupid across the spectrum when it comes to CoVID-19.
The situation in Israel is unique.
It’s surrounded by enemies.
Should the highly contagious strain infect and disable the military, Israel will be attacked.
There is no give here. Israel has no option but to protect the military….. even if you disagree.
It’s an existential issue for Israel. Better to ‘go overboard’ with protection, than to expose the military personnel to risk.
Trying to make a bris of grandchild in US (due date 1/30; had ticket for Feb 2). Think they will let a Jan 25 23:50 scheduled United flight to NYC leave (if closure starts midnight Tuesday Jan 26)? And if so, anyone know if US rule requiring Covid-19 test –which officially starts 00:00 Jan 26 –will apply to me if I DEPART on 25th (but arrive on 26th)? (I looked at US embassy and CDC sites but I couldn’t tell).
I think it will be able to go.
I believe you will need to provide a COVID test. Antigen test will work.
thanks! Sounds right. (there is an earlier flight that avoids test but not sure I can make it)
Any tips on a quick test company in Jerusalem? (20 hours is the shortest result I’m being told)
Officially at the airport it was supposed to take 4 hours for an additional fee. Not sure if it’s a fact.
Update: someone recommended “lab2door” – 9 hr.result (1399 NIS pp), 20 hr (499 pp). Thanks again
Is the Antigen test the final ruling? IIRC wasn’t that the ruling under Trump administration?
Didn’t change.
The US with all the crap going on, still has a constitution, and therefore is a democracy and can’t do things like that, this government however, they have no rules, they run like a communist government whenever they want,
Locking up a country is outrageous.
The US still has a Constitution? You wouldn’t know it from recent events.
Too many Israelis have been vacationing abroad during the seger. They come Home and don’t bidud seriously. Thousands of people went to UAE, didn’t follow rules, and came back sick. It’s unfortunate that during this pandemic the many pay for the selfishness of the few, but in reality, that’s always the case. It’s just not usually so apparently. Hashem yerachem.
+1 million
Totally agree
Pesach?
Dan
I have a flight from tel aviv to Newark at 23:50 on 1/31. If the closure is not extended, do you think that this flight will still take place?
Thank you
No
So when do you think its safe to reschedule? I know you have no crystal ball, but I do need to return to work in America as much as I love being here.
UA might delay the flight to after midnight for that sake, The question is how would UA have a plane at site for that flight, I doubt flying it in empty is an option…
Good point
I have a flight Feb 1 00:45 tlv – nyc should I bother packing?
Pack. Always pack. Especially for the way back.
Dan can you get them to reverse the ban? We were waiting so long to visit our granchild who moved there 3 years ago.
Here’s the REAL scoop. Goal = Herd immunity. Too many returnees not playing by the rules. New (possibly more dangerous) strand with most people not fully immunized = Pfizer/Bibi experiment a failure. The only way Bibi got MILLIONS of vaccine and to be sure that 2 doses are effective was by assuring Pfizer that this will be a controlled vaccination and will share the results. Win/win. Israel gets to be the proud front runner internationally. Bibi is a hero and Pfizer saves big time or clinicals. In walks G-D – new strand everything is messed and only option on all front is to close the front. If we think we can beat this and forget about HaShem we can be sure it isn’t going away anytime soon. Crowns, masks, borders and everything upside down- Kind of reminds me another episode of our history- oh what ideas will all this isolation put into my head next…….
Had a ticket next Monday from TLV to JFK, just moved it to tommorow, not taking chances…
Makes sense.
What about Eilat airport? Is that being closed too?
Definitely closed for international; unclear if domestic flights will operate. And last I heard, Jordan has long closed her borders–so there’s no overland crossing to flights from Amman either.
Dan, do you think the closure will be extended past the original week (Jan 31)
What about the border from Egypt or Jorden?
Closed – https://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/295715
Do people still not understand that there is no research the vaccine provides effects on transmission? Which means there is no incentive to vaccinate. Either you want it or you don’t. It’s a personal decision.
The fact that this is being manipulated into a ‘I’ll do my part’ is a bunch of B.S. because taking the vaccine isn’t going to end the pandemic.
There may be no research, yet, that absolutely proves this particular (Pfizer / Moderna) vaccine also prevents transmission, but there have been many studies on many vaccines that show immunity highly correlates with preventing transmission: “Although no rigorous study has yet analyzed whether vaccinated people can spread the virus, it would be surprising if they did. ‘If there is an example of a vaccine in widespread clinical use that has this selective effect — prevents disease but not infection — I can’t think of one!’ Dr. Paul Sax of Harvard has written in The New England Journal of Medicine. (And, no, exclamation points are not common in medical journals.)” (NYT Jan 18, 2021)
Right. They are hopeful. People are running to take an experimental vaccine (yes… its really an experiment if you read about Israel and Pfizer agreement) that doesn’t have the purported effects that they originally claimed it would.
I’m not saying do or don’t. I’m saying understand the reasons WHY you are getting it vs. Not getting it.
Healthy young individuals have a higher risk from other illnesses. Especially young children. Their risk of flu complications is higher than they of covid.
Watch them start demanding it for the kids. I personally think it doesn’t make sense.
No, it’s not an “experimental” vaccine – that term is being used by some press misleadingly. The “experiment” being conducted as part of Israel’s agreement with Pfizer is to determine when herd immunity might be reached: “The January 6th deal titled: Real-World Epidemiological Evidence Collaboration Agreement, details the legal and logistical workings of the collaboration, including the sharing of publicly available and de-anonymized data with the objective being to ‘measure and analyze epidemiological data arising from the product rollout to determine whether herd immunity is achieved after reaching a certain percentage of vaccination coverage in Israel.” It is NOT a clinical trial and has nothing to do with the efficacy of the vaccine. That has been established.
You’re not well read.
The information on this ‘trial sharing all of the health data of Israelis with Pfizer was not acknowledged or told to the people. Therefore, it is a study and an experiment.
Don’t know what you’re talking Bout.
It’s very possible that Pesach will be closed towards travelers
Any logical reason they can’t allow “green passports” to travel?!
THAT will actually encourage people to get vaccinated ASAP!
Green passports (from israel) have no validity in the world
The world didn’t close. Israel did.
That doesn’t matter. Israel shouldn’t care at all about people leaving. The people returning should need a green passport.
Maybe even have Israeli embassies issue green passports for foreigners who can prove they got their local version of the vaccine.
What do we when mishiach comes today?
That’s what eagles are for…
My grandmother (fathers mother) isn’t doing so well, in israel. She is in the hospital. My father wants to travel to israel to be there in case anything happens. He has expired israeli passport (working on getting it renewed) but valid us passport. Is there anything he can do to get to israel?
Go to https://www.gov.il/en/Departments/Guides/flying-to-israel-guidlines. If he can get Israeli passport renewed, can probably get in. If not, the link on that page regarding Foreign Nationals says “Entry clearance will be given to exceptins only” — but right now it’s a broken link. (Suggesting that under current airport closure, there are no exceptions for Foreign Nationals. Or, broken link could be just a coincidence, so best to call Ministry of Health)
Lockdowns obviously worked the last 3 times so this time it will definitely work.
I know a bochur who somehow snuck on a plane. He landed in Ben gurion. They wanted to deport because no singles are allowed in during the closure. but the airport closed! He came in on the last plane! legendary! now he’s in a corona hotel waiting to be free to go!!
what will isreli citizens do to return from abroad ?
Whoever thinks that we can control the virus and bring it to an end is a fool. This Virus is straight from heaven, not one thing from this virus makes sense. Every day that passes the doctors are saying something else about the virus that contradicts what they said the day earlier. No one knows anything. How about there were people that didn’t quarantine at all, they were exposed the whole time, and they only got the virus now. On the other hand there were people that didn’t step out of their home and they got the virus in the beginning of the pandemic.
People should stop acting crazy and start living like normal people. It’s time to realize that if it’s Bashert to get the virus than you’ll get it no matter what you do to avoid it, and if it’s Bashert to not get it, than being exposed won’t make you get it. Look what happened right after the world started vaccinating, new strains and mutations appeared. It’s quite interesting that it came in that period. Hashem wants to show us who rules the world.
Doing normal Hishtadlis to not get it is good enough. We have to know that doing normal Hishtadlis is a Chiyuv on everyone whether it will help or not. After we do Hishtadlis we just have to Daven that we all stay healthy and leave it up to Hashem.
The Israeli’s should be Ashamed of themselves. When will they learn they they aren’t in control? They are professionals at panicking. They think that if they make more and more lockdowns they will control the virus.
They came this week on Sunday and Monday to all Chareidi neighborhoods to enforce the foolish lockdown. They sprayed Skunk water on the people and streets and even on innocent peoples houses. Jerusalem smells terrible.
The Israelis gave out their true color this week.
I personally think that the Ben-Gurion airport wont open January 31st. They will keep on extending this foolish lockdown.
Ok, so what is normal Hishtadlus?????
Self centered behavior??
“I” dont have to give anything up???
What ever my tayva tells me to do on a particular day????
It’s not self centered to want the society to live without the government taking away the right to do business… Enough is enough! Since when should children suffer to make the elderly more safe??
I obviously don’t own a shulchan aruch you talk slot of nonsense of bashert and normal hishtadlus but everything I’ve said is complete nonsense shulchan aruch is very clear about following drs and what to do during a plague and unfortunately it is the exact opposite of what you propose and the opposite of how these so called “chereidim” are behaving
Listen to what the gedoilei yisroel say about this virus.
Rav Chaim Kanievsky clearly said not to go with masks and he himself doesn’t wear a mask.
And if your private Rav says that you should go with a mask or to not go to shul, than you should listen to him. But don’t inflict on others to go with your own psakim.
If you will start learning shulchan urach you will see that this is not considered a plague in halacha. If it would be than we would be forced to close down our shuls. Since it isn’t as bad as that, the only thing that’s left to do is to listen to our gedoilim.
That’s exactly what the chareidim are doing.
No one has a chiyuv to do anything different than what the gedoilei yisroel tell us to do.
The ban wasn’t yet officially extended, but a new NOTAM was already posted, and says that the airport might be closed until the 3rd.
Valid To : 03/02/2021 21:59
A0257/21 NOTAMN
Q) LLLL/QAFXX/IV/NBO/E /000/999/3124N03520E121
A) LLLL B) 2101311312 C) 2102032159
E) COVID-19 FLTS RESTRICTIONS:
THE GOVERNMENT OF ISRAEL IS CONSIDERING TO CONTINUE
THE RESTRICTIONS ON ALL ARR INTL FOREIGN FLTS,
EXC CARGO, FIREFIGHTING, MEDVAC AND EMERGENCY FLTS.
ARRIVING FLTS MIGHT BE DENIED.
FLTS CARRYING ON COVID-19 VACCINE SHALL SPECIFY IN
FPL ITEM 18 STS/ATFMX AND RMK/VACCINE.)
Does anyone know if private flights are still being allowed in?
Just hang with the gang at home during the Pandemic, unless absolutely necessary like visiting a dying parent. Why act like a child and be part of the problem???
@Dan ur post from today
Update: Airport Closure Extended For 1 Week, Hotel Quarantine Required For Rescue Flights] Israel Will Close Ben Gurion Airport Through At Least The End Of January
Today is the last day in January!!
The brackets are the update, the rest is the original post.
No you are mixing two statements they are extending it from Jan 31 for another week
Any word if green passports arriving on the rescue flight will need to quarantine in government hotels?
My son and his classmates are scheduled to study in Israel starting 2/21. Do you think Israel will let them in?
So here we go
None of this has to do with public safety anymore. It’s all politics and egos. Every last one of them should experience what they are doing to the population. Especially the poor. Or the ones whose livelihoods they’ve taken away. They’ve lost all credibility, and at this point, the Lincoln Project and the divisive liberal media may accomplish their goals to hurt the country and its people. May G-d protect us and all Jews worldwide from the tyranny of evil that has shown its face in too many places in the world.
Ok, Big Shot, What would YOU do if you were in Charge???
Open everything? and have your hospitals so overrun with Covid cases that they collapse…
If not, here’s the difficult question: What would you close????
Can anyone share details about the rescue flight(s) to Israel? where can one request to get a seat?
Any word if NBN Aliya flights are being let in?
UPDATE-
On Thursday night, February 18, the Israeli cabinet approved the extension of the ban on entry and exit to and from Israel. The ban will now remain in place for an additional 14 days, through March 6.
Certain leniences are expected to be introduced in the coming days. The government has already announced that 2000 passengers will be permitted to enter Israel each day. It remains to be seen how this policy will be carried out.