The Israeli government announced this Sunday a ban on its citizens traveling to several European countries on the red list, including Portugal to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of covid-19.

According to the news agency France Press, the travel restrictions, which already affected most African countries, but also Great Britain and Denmark, have now been extended to Spain, Portugal, Finland, France, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates.

Thus, the Israeli Ministry of Health has recommended adding Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Italy, Morocco, Switzerland and Turkey, as well as the United States of America to the red list, despite the hundreds of thousands of dual nationalities. This new proposal has not yet been validated by the government.

According to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett these restrictions on travel are to avoid resorting to further blockades. "Time is running out. European countries have instituted blockades or are preparing to do so," he said before a cabinet meeting. Travelers from countries placed on the red list are prohibited from entering Israel, with some exceptions.