The U.S. State Department on Monday lowered its travel advisory rating for Israel to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" - just days after it had raised it to the dismay of some.
Last week, the State Department added 119 countries to the 34 countries listed at its highest "Level 4: Do Not Travel" rating, out of about 209 destinations listed.
The countries added also included the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Mexico and Germany, and cited a "very high level of COVID-19".
The inclusion of Israel, however, raised some eyebrows since the country's rapid vaccination campaign caused its COVID numbers to plummet and led to removal of most restrictions on movement.
The advisories are recommendations to American citizens and are not binding.
The State Department said last week the move to list more countries at Level 4 did not imply a reassessment of current health situations, but rather "an adjustment in the State Department's Travel Advisory system to rely more on (the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's) existing epidemiological assessments."
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US State Department spokesman Ned Price speaks during the daily press briefing at the State Department in Washington, DC
(Photo: AFP )
Asked to explain the decision to change Israel's level, a State Department official said its advisories "take into account the latest data and public health and safety analysis on COVID-19 related risks."
The new advisory still urges U.S. citizens travelling to Israel to "exercise increased caution due to terrorism and civil unrest.”
The Israeli Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.