Passengers wearing masks push trolleys at Ben-Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, May 14, 2020. Photo: Reuters / Ronen Zvulun.

JNS.org – Israel’s coronavirus cabinet decided on Wednesday night that the country will partially reopen its skies on Aug. 16, by which date Transportation Minister Miri Regev, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi are scheduled to have come up with a detailed plan and guidelines for the process.

Israelis returning from “green countries”—those with low COVID-19 infection rates—will not have to enter a two-week quarantine, according to Globes, which reported that it is still not clear which countries those are or whether travelers without Israeli passports will be allowed to enter.

The report said that Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir called the move “important news for the aviation sector and all Israelis. Opening the skies is a necessary step towards the recovery of the Israeli economy and rehabilitating the tourism industry and its employees who have suffered a mortal blow following the crisis. I welcome this decision which provides many with hope for the future.”

The coronavirus cabinet also decided to reduce weekend restrictions on the public’s activities.