Israel Bars International Flights Until End of Janaury

Empty El Al Israel Airlines check-in desks stand in the departures hall at Ben Gurion International airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. Financially strapped El Al Israel Airlines is planning a 505-million shekel share offer during the coming week, it said in a filing to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, the share offering a condition for the flagship carrier to secure a state bailout, including a $250 million loan guarantee. Photographer: Kobi Wolf/Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) --

Israel’s cabinet approved restrictions that will bar foreign flights from entering the country in order to limit the country’s exposure to mutated strains of Covid-19.

The closure takes effect at midnight Monday and will last through the end of the month, according to an announcement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The government made exemptions for cargo and emergency situations.

Last week, Israel extended its lockdown to the end of January to keep cases down as it progresses with its vaccine campaign.