Full Breakdown
Tourism Ministry Restores Access to Saint George Monastery Lookout
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
New Procedure Restores Tourist Access
The Israeli Tourism Ministry announced a new procedure that reopens the Saint George Monastery lookout in the Judean Desert to Israelis and foreign visitors. Licensed tour guides received a circular indicating that the ministry, together with the Mitzpe Yeriho settlement adjacent to the site, has prepared a newly paved driving route that follows the settlement’s perimeter security road and avoids residential neighborhoods. The route leads to a guard post at the entrance to Mitzpe Yeriho, where drivers must present identification, receive access codes for two settlement-installed electronic gates, and then request opening of a third gate managed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority via intercom.
02
Background: Closure Since October 7
For the past three years, ever since the October 7 massacre, the road to the monastery has been blocked by a labyrinth of electronic arm barriers and access codes erected by both Mitzpe Yeriho and the IDF. Prior to the closure, the lookout—overlooking a fifth-century Greek-Orthodox monastic complex—was a regular stop for tour buses traveling to and from the Dead Sea. The restrictions turned the site into a rarely visited destination.
03
Visitor Experience on the New Route
After passing the guard post and obtaining the two settlement gate codes, drivers encounter a third gate administered by the IDF and the Israel Nature and Parks Authority; the gate is opened on request through an intercom. From there, the journey continues on a four-kilometer paved road to the lookout entrance. Visitors then descend a steep, paved path to the monastery, which is theoretically open daily from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for tourists.
04
Anticipated Impact on Tourism
Reopening the lookout is expected to revive its status as a “must-stop” attraction for tour operators heading to the Dead Sea. The Ministry’s document to licensed guides emphasizes that the new route eliminates the need to travel through residential areas, potentially increasing visitor numbers while maintaining security protocols.
05
Official Response
The Tourism Ministry, in coordination with Mitzpe Yeriho, framed the new procedure as a balance between security concerns and public access. The ministry’s announcement highlighted that the paved route and gate-access system were designed to restore safe, regulated visitation to the historic site while respecting the settlement’s perimeter security measures.