Israel's Knesset parliament has passed a law that would require unvaccinated Israelis returning from abroad to wear electronic bracelets to ensure that the mandatory isolation period is not violated.
The controversial move will replace the current plan to quarantine citizens in designated hotels, according to Israeli media.
As the deputies stated, the law was adopted last night to prevent the spread of virus strains from abroad and to maintain what has been achieved in the country since the fastest vaccination in the world was launched on December 19.
Children under the age of 14 and other special cases will be exempted from the obligation to wear these devices.
For now, around 10.000 wristbands are intended for travelers upon arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv, and 30.000 in total will be available next week.
However, the rule applies only to those who agree to wear the bracelet, and those who refuse will have to stay in the so-called coronavirus hotels for ten days.
Passengers arriving from abroad also undergo a rapid PCR test at the airport and remain in quarantine until two tests are negative.
At the moment, about 3.000 Israelis are allowed to enter the country per day.
Human rights organizations are likely to appeal the measure in court, arguing that it violates privacy rights and civil liberties.
The matter is further complicated by the decision of the Supreme Court of Israel, according to which it is unconstitutional for the government to limit the number of citizens who can enter or leave the country. Meanwhile, vaccinations in Israel remain second to none and the number of serious covid-19 cases has dropped below 600 for the first time since December.
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