The Knesset’s Constitution Committee, headed by MK Yaakov, convened today (Sunday) to discuss the second pulsating regulations of the reliefs that went into effect this morning and a series of other regulations. Today, about 180 open and closed malls opened alongside street shops across the country after a long struggle. At the same time, hotels (without restaurants), museums and libraries, zoos and gyms were opened.
The restaurants and cafes are set to open in exactly two weeks, if the green label program that goes into effect starting today does not cause an increase in corona virus morbidity.
Chairman of the Committee MK Jacob Asher He said at the beginning of the discussion that he tends not to approve the extension of the declaration of isolation in hotels for returnees from abroad: “I think the issue of hotels should be considered carefully, beyond restricting entry and entry into the country which also has difficulties due to misunderstanding humanitarian reasons. I am very inclined not to confirm this declaration and if so then for a very limited time. There is currently insufficient justification for this issue. It is true that to go for sure there is a lot to do, but at the end of the day only a third of the people stay at the end in hotels, some are exempt as recovering or vaccinated, some are exempt from pregnant women, age and more. The mutations in the remaining two thirds know how to escape as well, and compared to the rush in the field. “
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MK Asher also said that he “offers as an alternative some kind of electronic device”, adding that “since these are not huge quantities, the police may show us how insulation can be enforced at home and not in hotels, and that two-thirds get an exemption from hotels.”
The Knesset member continued: “I am not such a big fan of mutations, but I think that if there is a fear of a mysterious mutation that we do not know about – not a third of those in ten-day hotels will save the situation. As we knew how to approach the government properly for fear of what will happen “Common sense. I think when they come to a person and tell him either a hotel or an electronic surveillance facility that will enforce your closure at home then that’s fine. Or the police will make sure to do that.”
The head of public health services at the Ministry of Health then spoke. Dr. Sharon Elrai-Price, Which said that “there was a message about the Ugandan variant that we do not know what it means beyond that it is more contagious. We go back to see if such a variant enters the State of Israel. Many times the knowledge is retrospective, so the issue of isolation is critical. “It can be used from day to day. The technology exists, but I do not think it is in Israel. Even if rapid legislation is needed, the technological aid is not in our hands so that a change can now be made in hotels.”
She noted that “there has been an incident where a bus has arrived at a motel with 20 to 30 people when we have no technological option to make sure they are at home and that the police close the matter of enforcement. Maintaining the isolation of those from abroad has dropped to 20%. People who are released home do not maintain isolation. “
MK Asher asked: “Where is the data on isolation?”.
Dr. Elrai-Price replied: “It’s from the phones. You see some people returning from abroad maintaining isolation and the numbers are going down. “
MK Asher: “The result is that about two-thirds are not in hotels.”
Dr. Sharon Alrai Price warned the chairman of the Constitution Committee and the committee members against a decision to abolish isolation in the hotels of returnees from abroad: “If you make such a decision without any other solution, the responsibility will be yours.”
MK Ofer Kasif Said that “talking about handcuffs for returnees from abroad is insane. The choice is not between public health and individual rights, but in balancing the two and maintaining reasonableness and proportionality. The Supreme Court President, the Honorable Judge Esther Hayut, warned about the slippery slope of using emergency vehicles on a regular basis about a year ago, and I have warned again and again. It is important to understand that the use of extreme dictatorial measures alongside the confidentiality of the Corona Cabinet discussions undermines public trust and its cooperation with the guidelines and immunization. “
The committee then discussed restricting entry and exit from Israel. Dr. Elrai-Price noted that in February 2021, 3,955 people had landed in the country so far, of whom about 1,537 were evacuated to a hotel, 2,418 were released for home isolation and about 150 were released by an exceptions committee at the hotel.
MK Israel Eichler said that “hotels are prisons because the system fails to secure their isolation at home. This is a very basic deprivation of human rights.”
Before the committee went on hiatus, MK Asher explained that the hotel regulations would expire tonight at midnight. He did not intend to vote on extending the regulations so that at midnight it would not be possible to send people to the hotels.