Israel ends requirement to wear masks in public

Israel has lifted the mandatory requirement to wear face masks outdoors and fully reopened its education system following its mass vaccination drive.

All primary and secondary school children returned to classrooms on Sunday, and health officials ended a year-long requirement to wear a mask in public spaces.

Masks are still required indoors and in large gatherings.

Israel has speedily inoculated the majority of its population against the coronavirus in a world-leading vaccination campaign.

It has lifted most of its coronavirus restrictions and announced last week that it would be reopening the country to vaccinated foreign tourists starting in May.

Meanwhile, Israel has been criticised by human rights groups who say that as an occupying power the country has a responsibility for vaccinating the Palestinian population struggling to obtain vaccines as infection rates surge.

Israel says that under interim peace accords, it has no such responsibility. But it has inoculated Palestinian laborers in the West Bank who have permits to work inside Israel and its West Bank settlements.