Israel’s Ministry of Health’s coronavirus vaccination committee has approved the administering of a third dose of the Pfizer vaccine to Israelis over the age of 60. The new vaccinations are expected to begin on Sunday and will be for people who received their last vaccination more than five months ago.

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett just announced that on Friday morning Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will be the first person to receive the third vaccination.

At the same time, New Green Pass restrictions have now taken effect in Israel in response to the new outbreak of the Delta variant. The special coronavirus cabinet approved the regulations yesterday in a telephone conference call.

Elderly citizens who are unable to go out for their vaccinations will be able to receive them in their homes.

As for the new restrictions, for now, children under the age of 12 will be exempted from the obligation to present negative test results or a Green Pass certificate when entering the restricted areas. However, they will be required to do so in places such as wedding banquet halls where food is served that are in compliance with the “Happy Pass” requirements previously implemented for such venues.

The Ministry of Health also stated that home Covid tests administered privately will not be accepted as an official test. These tests are only intended for people to check themselves for their own reasons.

Only the following activities and locations require compliance with the new Green Pass regulations:

Venues that require anyone older than one year to present a Green Pass certificate or test results.

Venues found indoors (or events held partly indoors and partly outdoors in such venues) and held at an occupancy of over 100 people:
Event venues or any other public venues or business where feasts or celebrations are held, including weddings held in a restaurant/hotel etc.
Clubs — including those where performances are held before a standing audience and where food and drinks are served.
Indoor conference venues where food is served.
Venues that require adults and children older than 12.3 (12 years and 3 months) to present a Green Pass certificate or test results
Venues operating at an occupancy of over 100 people:

Hotels
Restaurants, cafes, bars, and pubs – only with regard to indoor seating and excluding entry for takeaway purposes.
Cultural and sporting events, including the outdoors.
Gyms and studios

All venues that comply with the Green Pass requirements are required to appoint a “coronavirus supervisor” who will be responsible for implementing the orders, to place a sign at the entrance to the venue, informing patrons that this venue complies with the Green Pass requirements, and in venues where advanced booking is required – to inform patrons of their requirement to present a Green Pass or negative test results.

The fines that have been determined for the “Happy Pass” outline remain effective also in this amendment, and include up to 10,000 NIS fine for a venue that violates its duty to comply with the Green Pass requirements, and 1,000 NIS per person who is neither vaccinated, recovered or tested (or a child who is exempt from the testing requirement) who has been found in a venue that complies with the Green Pass requirements.

IDF forces captured two individuals who infiltrated Israel from Lebanon early Thursday morning.

The IDF stated that its troops spotted two suspects crossing the Blue Line from Lebanon into Israel and conducted searches in the area for several hours.

Communities in the area were ordered to stay indoors.

The two were arrested near the security fence. They were illegal work migrants from Africa.

The incident was not terrorism-related.

Israel in recent years has become a sought-after destination by work migrants from Africa, coming primarily through Egypt. Israel built a fence along the Egyptian border to block the flow of work migrants, bringing down the number of infiltrators annually from thousands to a mere few.

It appears that the African work migrants are seeking new ways to illegally enter the country, even by crossing the dangerous border with Lebanon.

Recent unilateral Turkish actions and statements regarding the status of Varosha in Cyprus.

Varosha is an abandoned quarter of the city of Famagusta. Before 1974, it was the tourist area of the city. Its inhabitants fled during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, when the city of Famagusta came under Turkish control, and has since remained abandoned.

Turkey has announced its intentions to reopen Varosha amid Greek objections.

“A new era will begin in Maras which will benefit everyone,” said Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan. Maras is the Turkish name for Varosha.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned “the decision to have Turkish Cypriots take control over parts of Varosha, which is inconsistent with UN resolutions, unacceptable, and incompatible with past commitments to resume settlement talks.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lior Haiat stated Tuesday that “Israel reiterates its solidarity and full support for Cyprus.”

Foreign Minister Lapid has “reiterated that support and solidarity” directly to Cypriot Foreign Minister Nikos Christodoulides, who was in Israel on Wednesday for a quick meeting.

Tensions between Greece and Turkey have been mounting in recent years surrounding the control of Cyprus, its territorial waters and natural gas fields.

Cyprus has been divided between a Turkish occupation and a Cypriot side since 1974. The United Nations and the international community reject Turkey’s occupation of the island and its claims to the area’s resources.

Israel in recent years has fostered its ties with Cyprus and Greece, especially on the issue of energy, and has grown distant from Ankara, which has become more Islamic and increasingly anti-Israel.

Greece, Israel, and Cyprus have established an alliance to counter Turkey. Greece and Cyprus are historic adversaries of Turkey.

Four Israelis were injured on Sunday night in Jerusalem in two separate terror attacks.

Israeli parents and their infant son survived an apparent lynch attempt when a group of terrorists attacked their vehicle with rocks near the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.

The three were lightly injured. United Hatzalah volunteer EMT Muhammad Abid was one of the first responders at the scene and treated the Jewish family. After receiving initial treatment at the scene the family was taken to Hadassah Har Hatzofim in Jerusalem for further medical treatment.

In the second incident, in the A-Tur neighborhood, terrorists threw rocks at another Israeli car, injuring the driver.

Israel Police undercover forces operating in the neighborhood caught a suspect while throwing stones at a passing vehicle.

The arrested suspect was taken for questioning by police.

Israel’s Fire and Rescue Commissioner Dedi Simchi submitted on Friday an offer of assistance to the German government following the huge floods that have caused heavy casualties and significant damage to homes and infrastructure.

Germany’s worst floods in 200 years have killed at least 160 people. Many hundreds more are missing and the toll is expected to rise.

Sources at the German embassy in Israel thanked Simchi for the Israeli assistance offer and noted that at this stage no international assistance is needed.

Two weeks ago, an Israeli aid delegation was sent to Cyprus with fire and rescue teams to help put out the major forest fires that threatened the Limassol district. The delegation included crew members and two Israeli firefighting planes with flame retardants.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Saturday sent a special letter of condolences to German President Frank Walter Steinmeier and to the German people following the disastrous floods.

“I agree with the President of Germany, that the challenge of global warming, which contributed to this calamity, requires us all to make a special effort. I stated that we would be willing to help in any way,” he stated.