October 9, 2023

Due to the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza, please note the following:

The university has added Israel, The West Bank, and Gaza to the ITOC Travel Suspension Conditions list. This means that University-supported or sponsored travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza is not permitted. The university recognizes this is a dynamic and evolving situation, and the International Travel Oversight Committee will be reviewing our decision weekly, as the situation progresses.

In line with the university’s International Travel Policy, if you wish to request an exception to travel to Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza, you must submit a Petition for Exception to the International Travel Oversight Committee no later than 30 days before your planned trip, which will be reviewed and considered on a case-by-case basis.

Travel remains suspended in Syria, Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen based on the risk ratings from the U.S. Department of State and International SOS, as outlined in the university’s International Travel Policy. (See https://global.washu.edu/resources/international-travel-policy/ for more details.) At this time, all other travel in and through the Middle East to countries and areas not included on the Travel Suspension Conditions List can continue. The university strongly recommends taking enhanced precautions.

For those traveling in the region:

  • Maintain a low profile and exercise heightened situational awareness at all times. As an additional cautionary measure, do not display any obvious signs of nationality.
  • Avoid areas where any protests or demonstrations are taking place. Be prepared to leave an area where crowds are anticipated or begin to gather. In some instances, local security forces may adopt robust tactics to disperse crowds or contain unrest.
  • Monitor local media, International SOS advisories, and information from the U.S. Department of State for the most up-to-date security analysis and guidance.

It is also very strongly recommended that U.S. citizens and nationals traveling in or through the region enroll their trip(s) with the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/. This is in addition to the required registration of your itinerary with the university’s international travel registry MyTrips, not in place of it. More information on MyTrips is available here: https://global.washu.edu/mytrips-instructions/

We will continue to monitor the situation closely. WashU places the highest priority on our travelers’ safety and security. Please contact itoc@wustl.edu with any additional questions.

ITOC