Israel’s Skies to Reopen, Health Experts Fear the Worst 

Israel’s government on Tuesday removed its self-imposed siege, allowing citizens to enter and leave the country after over a month of a near-total lockdown of all the nation’s ports of entry. With less than three weeks until Election Day, and following increasing allegations of foul play and political favoritism in the state’s exemptions committee, Jerusalem’s Cabinet Ok’d 3,000 entries a day, starting Sunday. All returning Israelis will be either quarantined at designated coronavirus hotels or will self-isolate at home while being monitored by electronic tracking wrist monitors. While the number of patients hospitalized in serious condition, as well as the number of deaths and new cases, have all continued their decline, health officials warned on Wednesday that the opening of Israel’s skies will lead to a renewed spread of the virus. Over 3.5 million Israelis have been vaccinated with the Pfizer shot.