People sit at an outdoor cafe near the Carmel Market as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions ease in Tel Aviv, Israel October 14, 2021. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

i24 News – Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz announced on Tuesday that all outdoor assembly capacity restrictions will be lifted, as well as mandatory presentation of the Green Pass — Israel’s COVID health pass — outdoors.

This decision was taken following expert recommendations from Israel’s Health Ministry, and is accompanied by the end of the obligation to wear a mask in gatherings of more than 100 people outdoors.

However, mask wearing will remain mandatory in closed places, which can now accommodate up to 600 people with the presentation of a Green Pass, and up to 100 people without any obligation.

It will now be possible to organize cultural, sporting and religious events with up to 1000 participants in an open place, without a green passport.

While the news is a welcoming sign that Israel is beginning to return to normalcy, officials vowed to remain on alert.

Bennett said “we are continuing to act cautiously because outside, mostly on the European continent, there is a tsunami of coronavirus at the moment, at unprecedented levels.”

Once they receive final approval from the Knesset, these measures will take effect on Thursday.

Israel is beginning to recover following a successful vaccination rollout, and the country welcomed the return of vaccinated tourists on November 1.

The country’s health ministry recorded 474 new cases of COVID, with the current positivity rate standing at .6 percent.