Japan Lowers Travel Alerts for Parts of Israel to Level 2

Japan lowered its travel alert for parts of Israel and the Palestinian territories from Level 3, which calls on citizens to refrain from travel, to Level 2, which advises avoiding nonessential travel. The Foreign Ministry said it made the change because no attacks had occurred since June 9. The Gaza Strip and its border area and the zone along the Lebanese border stay at Level 4, an evacuation advisory, while the West Bank stays at Level 3 apart from Jericho, Bethlehem, Ramallah, the trunk roads linking those cities to Jerusalem, and Routes 1 and 90. Japan also lowered some areas of Iraq and Lebanon from Level 4 to Level 3, while keeping Iran at Level 4.