Israel, Cyprus announce deal to allow quarantine-free travel for COVID-19 inoculated visitors

Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Israeli PM Netanyahu

JERUSALEM, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Israel and Cyprus signed on Sunday a deal to allow Israelis and Cypriots who have been inoculated against COVID-19 to travel between the two countries without quarantine.

The deal was announced by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades, who arrived in Israel for a one-day visit earlier in the day.

"It opens up the possibility of restarting tourism in the near future. Cypriot tourists in Israel and Israeli tourists in Cyprus," Netanyahu said in a statement.

Anastasiades said he was hopeful that travels in accordance with the deal would begin on April 1.

Earlier in February, Israel said it reached a similar deal with Greece.