One of the favorite moments for Israelis just before they take off on another fun trip abroad is to sit down with a cup of coffee and a croissant after shopping at the duty free or enjoying a meal at one of the food outlets at Ben-Gurion International Airport.

Video: Tourists arrive at Ben-Gurion International Airport

For many travelers, this can amount to a significant expense before their vacation even begins, as airport food prices are much higher than those at chain outlets across the country.

An Israel Hayom comparison shows that various food items are more expensive if you buy them at Ben–Gurion International Airport than practically anywhere else in Israel, with the exception of items that are subject to price control: small bottles of mineral water, regular croissants, and more. These price changes can be substantial, starting at 3.3% and reaching over 30% for items not subject to airport deals.

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Aroma

At Aroma, a renowned coffee chain in Israel, a small cappuccino will set you back 15 shekels (approximately $4.62 ) at the airport, compared to 12 shekels ($3.12) for those who prefer to sit down or 11 shekels ($2.86) for the budget-conscious who opt for takeout. The difference in price for takeout coffee between the airport and regular branches is a staggering 36.3%.

When it comes to enjoying a cappuccino and a croissant at Ben Gurion Airport, you'll need to dig deeper into your wallet. This combination costs 27 shekels (around $8.31 ) at the airport, while the same items at regular branches cost 31 shekels ($8). That's a disparity of up to 40%. This is because the airport branch doesn't offer such deals and you have to buy each food item separately.

Aroma issued the following statement: "Under the tender terms set by the Israel Airport Authority, the risk associated with the set-up costs, as well as the maintenance and operation costs, is significantly higher and is of a very different nature than any other branch. That is why there are price adjustments."

Burger King and McDonald's

Even visiting fast-food giants like Burger King and McDonald's will make you feel the sharp rise in prices at the airport compared to non-airport branches. A Big Mac meal costs 42 shekels (about $12.96 ), compared to 39 shekels at other branches, representing a 7.6% difference. A McRoyal meal at the airport comes at 52 shekels (approximately $16.05 ), whereas it's 49 shekels ($12.75)elsewhere, marking a 6.1% variance. Families with kids may find themselves paying 29.5 shekels (around $9.10 ) for a Happy Meal, compared to 28 shekels (7.28$) elsewhere, a 5.3% difference.

At Burger King's airport branch, the price disparity is noticeable. A Whopper meal costs 53 shekels (about $16.35 ) at the airport, versus 51 shekels ($13.27) at regular branches, a 3.9% difference. A Double Whopper meal is priced at 62 shekels (approximately $19.13 ) at the airport, compared to 60 shekels ($15.61) elsewhere, a 3.3% variation. Families dining with young ones might find a kids' meal costing 30 shekels (around $9.27 ) at the airport versus 28 shekels ($7.28) elsewhere, representing a 7.1% difference.

McDonald's issued the following statement: "The prices McDonald's offers at the airport are lower than the competitors at the site and we are proud to offer our high-quality cappuccino at the lowest rate in the airport: only 7.5 shekels ($1.95). The prices in the airport are 5% higher than what the chain's menu usually offers and are 50% lower than the gap allowed under the terms of the tender. These prices stem from the high rent at the airport, the cost of operating the premises for 24 hours a day, and the cost of shuttling the employees."

Burger King said the following: "The price difference is just a few shekels, stemming from the costs of operation and maintenance of the premises in the airport, which run 24/7, including on Saturdays, and holidays. That is why the prices there are higher than other branches. The chain will continue to offer the most attractive prices for its customers in all of its branches."

Ilan's and Cafe Cafe

Ilan's, another popular coffee chain, offers a glimmer of hope for those seeking affordable options at Ben Gurion Airport. A small cappuccino at the airport costs 13.7 shekels (approximately $4.23 ), compared to 14 shekels elsewhere, a modest 5.8% difference. Tuna salad at the airport goes for 44 shekels (around $13.58 ), whereas it's 42 shekels elsewhere, a 4.7% discrepancy. A pita with cheese at the airport is priced at 39 shekels (approximately $12.03 ), while it's 36 shekels elsewhere, an 8.3% difference.

Cafe Cafe, found in Terminal 1, surprisingly offers lower prices for select items. A classic toastie at the airport costs 40 shekels (about $12.34 ), significantly less than the 55 shekels ($14.31) charged at other branches. Tuna salad at the airport is 45 shekels (approximately $13.88 ), compared to 68 shekels ($17.69) at branches. Even a cheese bourekas at Ben Gurion Airport is just 17 shekels (around $5.24 ), slightly cheaper than the 18 shekels ($4.68) charged at regular branches. A chocolate pastry at the airport costs 17 shekels (about $5.24 ), compared to 16 shekels ($4.16) at branches.

Ilan's said the following: "The reason for the price disparities is the operating costs at Ben Gurion Airport, which are much higher. For example, employee shuttles for three shifts, which do not exist in other branches, the cost of working night hours, and the like. In fact, the price difference between Ben Gurion Airport and the chain throughout the country was supposed to be at least 10%, but we managed to reduce it even further."

A Lesson in airport economics

The substantial price differences between airport food outlets and their regular counterparts have not gone unnoticed by travelers. With Ben Gurion Airport projected to serve over 25 million passengers this year, the airport is planning to expand its dining areas with a multi-million-shekel investment. The Israel Airports Authority (IAA) has issued commercial tenders to attract coffee shops and restaurants to Terminals 1 and 3, aiming to enhance the dining experience for travelers and bridge the price gap.

As these changes take effect, travelers departing from Ben Gurion Airport may soon find more competitive and reasonable prices for their pre-flight meals, alleviating some of the financial burdens of travel.

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The government announced Thursday it was halting the use of a controversial phone tracking technology to trace possible cases of the new Omicron coronavirus variant, days after it was authorized as an emergency measure.

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Earlier this week, lawmakers announced a package of emergency measures to contain the new strain, including travel restrictions and authorizing the Shin Bet security agency to use phone monitoring technology for the contact tracing of people infected with Omicron.

To be extended, the tracking would have required parliamentary legislation.

But late Thursday, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office said the "cellular monitoring" would expire at midnight and not be extended.

The reversal came following days of public criticism of a practice whose use in the past has been criticized by civil liberties groups and challenged in court. Several lawmakers voted against the use of the technology, and a government ombudsman argued that it was ineffective.

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz said on Twitter that "from the beginning, I noted that the use of this tool would be limited and brief  –  for a few days, in order to get urgent information to halt infection with the new, unknown variant."

He said that "alongside protecting health, we must protect privacy and human rights, even in a time of emergency."

Rights groups have decried the use of the technology, which can track where a person has been and whom they have met with, as a violation of privacy rights. The Supreme Court ordered the government limit its use of the technology earlier this year.

On Thursday, the court rejected a petition by a rights group against the reintroduction of phone tracing, noting the limited scope of its authorization and the uncertainty surrounding Omicron.

The Association for Civil Rights in Israel welcomed Thursday's decision and expressed "hope that this is the last time the Shin Bet will be used to monitor the citizens of the State of Israel."

The Health Ministry has confirmed three cases of Omicron and said on Thursday that nearly three dozen other possible cases were being tested.

Also on Thursday, Bennett held an Omicron situation assessment, which was attended by Horowitz and other senior health officials.

At the meeting, officials decided decided, among other things, that Israelis who return from abroad and do not take a second PCR test on the third or seventh day after their arrival will be subject to fines.

The Health Ministry and the Israel Police will synchronize their data systems so that fines of up to 2,500 shekels ($800) can be issued automatically.

The decision will come into effect in a few weeks, when the technical preparations necessary for its implementation are completed.

In addition, the Health and Education Ministries, in cooperation with local authorities, will run a special children's vaccination program that will include early coordination between the coronavirus control center, local authorities, schools, parent-teacher committees, health funds, and the district physician; the sharing of vaccine safety-related information in the education system; and education on the safety of the vaccines in local communities ahead of  "vaccination days" when mobile vaccination units are set to arrive at schools and community centers.

The pilot programs will launch in several local authorities next week. At the same time, Bennett ordered preparations be made for the campaign's immediate expansion to all authorities and schools in Israel.

It was also decided to continue efforts to find ways to encourage vaccination.

Several proposals for changing future guidelines at Ben-Gurion International Airport were also presented at the meeting. The Health and Transportation Ministries and the Israel Defense Forces Home Front Command were set to present their recommendations at a later date.

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Israel's government is poised to announce the reopening of the state's borders to foreign tourists who are fully vaccinated against coronavirus starting Nov. 1.

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Initially, visitors from 40 countries – mostly European Union nations with which Israel has mutually recognized vaccination standards – will be permitted entry, Globes reported.

Only tourists who have received two shots of the vaccine within six months of their visit, or a booster shot, will be allowed into the country.

According to Globes, Israel hopes to sign a mutual vaccination agreement with the US that would allow tourists from some US states to visit.

The Health Ministry is reportedly considering a proposal to allow all vaccinated tourists entry from Nov. 21, subject to the standard visa regulations.

Like Israelis returning from abroad, visitors will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID test conducted within 72 hours of their flight, and an additional PCR test upon arrival.

Meanwhile, the fact that Russia's Sputnik vaccine remains unapproved globally still comprises a problem for Russian tourists seeking to visit Israel, but if the vaccine – as expected – is approved by the World Health Organization in the next few weeks, the problem will be solved.

This article was first published by i24NEWS

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Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged barbs Monday during a special Knesset session on the COVID resurgence, accusing each other's respective governments of mishandling the pandemic in Israel.

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Bennett appeared before the plenum after the opposition, which labeled the emergency session "The Ben-Gurion Airport fiasco," secured the signatures of 40 lawmakers to force the prime minister to publicly debate potentially reinstating coronavirus measures at Israel's main international gateway, which has been struggling for weeks with overcrowding and testing arrivals.

Bennett accused the opposition of having become "the new sourpusses," using a Hebrew word that also means pickles, referencing the former prime minister's 2017 "pickle speech" in which he accused the Left of being constantly disgruntled.

"We are fixing what you have neglected and all you do is complain and whine," he said. "You assumed the role of sourpusses so quickly that even when you see good things, you can't be supportive.

"We sealed the gaps [in the vaccine supply] that you left behind, but we don't feel the need to call a press conference over every phone call with [Albert] Bourla," Bennett mocked in reference to Netanyahu's repeated public briefings over his conversations with Pfizer's CEO.

The prime minister also accused his predecessor of neglecting the tensions with the Gaza Strip, mismanaging the Hezbollah threat, and undermining ties with Jordan.

"What is the Israeli interest for the sake of which Netanyahu destroyed the relationship with Jordan?" he asked. "We are repairing this relationship which is an Israeli national security interest."

In his own speech, Netanyahu hit back at Bennett, blaming him for the failure to prevent the spread of the delta variant in Israel, leading to a spike in morbidity.

"I have one question for the government of deceit: How did you succeed in spoiling our success in battling the coronavirus so quickly? We handed you a country in the best situation in the world; our great success was praised all over the world. And what did you do with our great success? You simply kicked over the full pail."

He continued: "What, for heaven's sake, are you doing to fight the coronavirus outbreak? The answer is, you're doing nothing ... Instead of making real decisions, all you know how to do is one thing, tweet and pose for selfies."

Hitting back at Bennett's accusations of inaction during the pandemic, Netanyahu said: "We worked around the clock to bring millions of vaccines to Israel while you gave interviews to every channel and said that the vaccines wouldn't arrive, and that we didn't need them at all, and called to open up everything.

"Thanks to our actions, we brought Israel back to life, but because of your failure, we have to sit with masks in every closed space, and you can't even accomplish that."

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcomed Pollard and his wife upon their arrival.

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A statement by the Prime Minister's Office said the two recited the Shehecheyanu prayer, as Netanyahu presented the Pollards with their Israeli IDs.

"Welcome home. It's so good to finally see you here," Netanyahu said. "Now you can start over and live your lives free and happy. Now you're home."

A visibly emotional Pollard said, "We're excited to finally be home after 35 years. We thank the Israeli people and the Israeli prime minister for bringing us home. No one is as proud of this country and its leader as we are.

"We hope to become productive citizens as soon as possible and move on with our lives. This is a great country with a bright future. [Israel] is the future of the Jewish people and we're not going anywhere."

On Twitter, President Reuven Rivlin wrote, "Welcome Jonathan and Esther Pollard!" with an Israeli flag.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri also took to social media, writing, "Welcome to Israel, our brother Jonathan Pollard. I am proud and happy that as interior minister I issued you your Israeli identification card and passport. Now you can start your life here in Israel as a free man along with your wife Esther. You deserve it Jonathan for everything you did and sacrificed for the people of Israel."

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On Twitter, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi wrote, "Esther and Jonathan Pollard, welcome home. We've been waiting for you" along with a picture of the Israeli flag.

Also on Twitter, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein wrote, "Dear Jonathan and Esther Pollard, welcome to the State of Israel. We've been waiting for you!"

Pollard's lawyer Nitsana Darshan-Leitner said, "I am very emotional over the arrival of Pollard and his wife in Israel. There was a great effort to keep the plan for their arrival out of the American media and not make any announcements until they arrive in Israel. I spoke with them before their trip and they are very excited to come to Israel after 35 years and start new lives. As required, the couple will enter quarantine immediately. This is Pollard's first sunrise in Jerusalem. We're praying that the pain and the suffering of the many years, Pollard spent in prison will be forever behind him.

Immigration and Absorption Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata tweeted, "Welcome to Israel!"

Likud MK Keti Shitrit tweeted, "Jonathan and Esther are returning to Israel after 35 years. How good it is that they have come home and can build and re-establish their home in the Holy Land. Well done, Prime Minister Netanyahu for all the efforts to bring Pollard back. No doubt, this is wonderful news to start the new year!"

New Hope party leader Gideon Sa'ar tweeted, "Welcome home, Jonathan!"

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Bahrain's national airline Gulf Air signed five agreements with Israeli entities during a Bahraini trade visit in the past week to Israel, Gulf Air said on Wednesday.

The small Gulf state of Bahrain and Israel formalized ties in September.

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Gulf Air and Israeli carrier El Al signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday.

While in Israel for the signing, Bahrain's Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed bin Rashid Al-Zayani, who also serves as the chairman of Bahrain's national carrier Gulf Air, said the company had received many inquiries into a "direct route" between Manama and Tel Aviv. Travel agents, he said, wanted to know "how they can set up, how they can promote Bahrain."

Gulf Air also reached an accord with TAL Aviation Group, a travel representation company, to represent the airline in Israel.

The Bahraini airline concluded an agreement with Israel Aerospace Industries Aviation Group for maintenance of Gulf Air planes landing at Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

Gulf Air also signed an agreement with QAS Israel Ltd. for ground handling, cargo, and other airport services.

Finally, Gulf Air and Newrest Israel signed an agreement for on-board catering, the statement said.

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A total of 17 flights were scheduled to take off on Friday, and 20 were scheduled to land. Airlines affected include United, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Wizz, Ethiopian Airlines. El Al, Air Canada, and United flights currently en route to Israel will reportedly be permitted to land, although anyone expecting to meet passengers is advised to check their flight status.

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The wildcat strike is a response to government ministries' treatment of the aviation sector. The vast majority of IAA workers have been furloughed without pay for three months. Many are nearing the end of their terms of certification, which means that they will be obliged to undergo refresher courses when they are brought back to work, and many of the workers on furlough will not be eligible for unemployment benefits after July.

An hour after the strike was called, it was unclear how long it would continue, but the wildcat action marks a very unusual step that calls attention to the distress in the sector. Senior aviation and tourism officials, whose fields were among the first to be decimated by the coronavirus crisis, have been harshly critical of the government's response. 

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According to the CBS, in 2018 Israelis made 8,472,700 trips abroad, which means that 2019 saw an increase of over 705,000 journeys outside the country by Israeli citizens. The number of Israelis traveling abroad has doubled since 2010, with each year (with the exception of 2012) seeing Israelis making an increasing number of trips abroad.

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The CBS travel statistics for Israelis included a new figure – the number of Israelis living abroad who visited their native land, which in 2019 reached 182,000. The CBS attributes the jump in the number of Israelis abroad who traveled to Israel last year to the two Knesset elections held in 2019. The return trips of the Israelis who live abroad were included in the Israeli departure statistics.

The vast majority of travelers departed from Ben-Gurion International Airport, with over 8.2 million Israelis flying abroad from the country's main airport.

However, some Israeli travelers preferred to leave the country by land, with 776,800 citizens crossing the eastern border into Jordan, from where they continued on to other Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia. This number is also a record.

Just under 5 million Israelis went through the Taba border crossing into Sinai and Egypt, an increase of 118,300 compared to 2018. A total of 91,300 Israelis sailed abroad in 2019, roughly the same number as in 2018.

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