Health Alert: U.S. Embassy Jerusalem (April 23, 2020)
Location: Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza
Event: COVID-19 – Additional Movement Restrictions during Upcoming Holidays
On April 22, the Israeli government announced new movement restrictions for the upcoming Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays. From 4:00 p.m. on Monday, April 27, through 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, individuals will not be permitted to visit cemeteries or military memorial sites. From 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 28, through 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29, individuals will be prohibited from leaving their homes except to purchase medical supplies and other necessities. Public transportation will be unavailable during this time. For more information, please visit the Israeli Ministry of Health website.
The Government of Israel has also announced that during Ramadan, businesses (with the exception of pharmacies) will be closed in certain communities from 6:00 p.m. through 3:00 a.m. every night between April 23 and May 3.
Limited international commercial flight options still exist in Israel. U.S. citizens who wish to return to the United States should make commercial arrangements as soon as possible unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period. The U.S. government has no plans to arrange repatriation flights in Israel. If you are a U.S. citizen currently in the West Bank or Gaza who lives in or seeks to travel to the United States, please contact the Embassy by email at JerusalemACS@state.gov for further instructions before making your travel arrangements. Please check the U.S. Embassy Jerusalem COVID-19 website for more information on flight availability.
Actions to Take:
- Encourage all U.S. citizens to enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)to receive Alerts and ensure you can be located in an emergency.
- Visit the Internal Revenue Service Coronavirus Tax Relief site for the most up-to-date information regarding economic impact payments and other tax information.
- Consult the CDC website for the most up-to-date information related to COVID-19.
- For the most recent information on what you can do to reduce your risk of contracting COVID-19, please see the CDC’s latest recommendations.
- Visit the COVID-19 crisis page on travel.state.gov for the latest information.
- Check with your airlines, cruise lines, or travel operators regarding any updated information about your travel plans and/or restrictions.
- Visit our Embassy webpage on COVID-19 for information on conditions in Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza. Information about local conditions related to COVID-19 is also available from the U.S. Embassy in Jordan and the U.S. Embassy in Egypt.
- Visit the Department of Homeland Security’s website on the latest travel restrictions to the United States.
