31.03.2020
Due to the health emergency: the military will automatically extend tourists’ permits of stay in the West Bank provided they expired after March 12, 2020
On March 26, 2020, HaMoked wrote to the military following the coronavirus crisis, to demand the automatic extension of permits of stay in the West Bank of tourists who had entered the West Bank lawfully. The letter stressed the predicament of tourists holding visas type B/2, who cannot leave the West Bank to return to their countries because of the health-emergency border closure, and also cannot have their expired visas extended at this time. Thus, they are forced to remain as illegal aliens in the West Bank.
On March 31, 2020, HaMoked received a response from the Ministry of Defense, whereby, according to “relaxations” applying during the emergency period, “a foreigner lawfully staying in the Area [i.e. the West Bank] pursuant to a visa [valid at least] until March 12, 2020, and whose visa expired during the current period, [will have] his visa extended in a computerized manner until June 30, 2020 (insofar as the emergency regulations remain standing…)”. It was further announced that “a foreigner holding a visa limited to the Area of Judea and Samaria only, who enters Israel for the purpose of going abroad via the Ben Gurion airport during this period, will not be considered to be violating the terms of the visa”.
