An Israeli minister called Thursday on Hasidic Jews hoping to enter Ukraine through Belarus for a pilgrimage to return home, after efforts to enable their access despite coronavirus restrictions failed. "Ukraine announced it wouldn't allow entry via border crossings or any form of small delegation. I call on our citizens to return to Israel and uphold the quarantine instructions upon their arrival," Higher Education and Water Minister Zeev Elkin, who is Ukrainian-born, said on Twitter. Kiev stopped the pilgrims, who were trying to reach the central Ukrainian city of Uman, in line with its ban on foreign visitors as it battles a sharp increase in infections. jjm/rsc/kir