Yuli Edelstein
Yuli EdelsteinFlash 90

The health ministry on Sunday announced Green Pass and Purple Badge requirements would be removed on June 1.

A health ministry notice said that "Due to the low and stable morbidity that has now prevailed for a long while despite the very broad opening of the market and educational system, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein announced that he will not seek to extend restrictions that will expire next Tuesday, June 1. The significance is that starting on that day, the need for a Green Pass will be canceled and Purple Badge restrictions will be canceled."

The notice added that "In the next two weeks, professionals will hold discussions about the requirement of wearing a mask in closed spaces. Until further decision, this requirement will continue. In addition, restrictions on entry into and exit from Israel will remain and, if needed, will even be made more stringent."

"Israel is returning to routine!" Edelstein said, and credited the announcement to Israel's vaccination campaign, which he called "the best in the world," as well as to the health ministry's "outlines for gradual and careful opening of the market, which allowed for maintaining low morbidity data over time."

"Even so," he added, "the return to routine is with a 'footnote': The health ministry is acting to continue the Green status in the areas of the State of Israel and will continue to monitor in a broader fashion in order to prevent an outbreak. Of course, if there is an outbreak, we will be forced to return backward."

The announcement comes even as the health ministry seeks to extend by nine months the law granting the government "special powers" to impose restrictions on citizens, from June 30, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

On Tuesday, the health ministry said that Health Ministry Director Prof. Hezi Levi had held a meeting on the issue of extending vaccination to youth between the ages of 12 and 16.

Last month, it was reported that Israel had signed deals with Pfizer and Moderna for the purchase of millions of additional vaccine doses.