No visa requirements for Belize and Israel

The number of Israelies visiting the Jewel is few, but according to the Belmopan, a visa waiver will increase this number. This morning in the capital, Israeli Ambassador to Belize, Mattanya Cohen, and Belize’s Foreign Minister, Wilfred Elrington, signed an agreement that will no longer require travelers to acquire visas to enter the two countries. The two government officials spoke about the initiative at a brief ceremony in Belmopan today.

Mattanya Cohen, Israeli Ambassador to Belize
“Annually fifty to sixty Israelis, no more than that, visit Belize. I don’t know how many Belizeans visit Israel, also very short number and mostly because of the visa requirements Israelis do not come to Belize. I’m talking about tourists and I want you to know that we have thousands of youngsters, Israelis, coming to Guatemala every year. They visit Guatemala but when they want to enter Belize they don’t do that because of the visa requirements. So I’m expecting that, as a result of this agreement, we will have more Israeli tourists in this beautiful country of Belize. I expect more Israeli businessmen to come here to Belize. They do come to Central America countries and now with the waiver of visa requirements I expect them to come more.”

Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“The ambassador here has been very aggressive, as he ought to be in the interest of his country and trying to facilitate trade and other relationship between Belize and Israel. I personally believe that that can only bring good to Belize.”

Ambassador Cohen also nominated Rose Wishenka as Israel’s new Honorary Consul to Belize, replacing her husband who held that appointment for long years. Belize and Israel also share an agricultural development cooperation. Ambassador Cohen resides in El Salvador.