Are we on our way to a gradual exit from the third quarantine? The Director General of the Ministry of Health, Prof. Hezi Levy, was interviewed this morning (Sunday) by the GLC and broadcast an optimistic forecast on the subject. In an interview, the CEO said that “the closure will not be extended after this coming Sunday” and that he “assumes that at this stage we will start opening in a gradual manner”.
The CEO added: “There is definitely a danger to the development of an Israeli corona strain.” Referring to clashes with the ultra-Orthodox public regarding the observance of the guidelines, he said: “Most of the ultra-Orthodox public behaves responsibly, but the things that are done in it are annoying. Before the enforcement phase, we need a dialogue. ”
People aged 50 and over began getting vaccinated against Corona, about two weeks ago // Photo: Moshe Ben Simhon, Yoni Rickner, Shmuel Buharis
Meanwhile, Health Minister Yuli (Joel) Edelstein announced this morning that “195,000 vaccinations were done over the weekend. In total, more than 2.5 million citizens were vaccinated, of which close to a million also received the second dose.”
However, the minister added: “But there is also bad news: the rate of decline in morbidity is too slow. Probably the reason is also the mutations, but also the lack of strict adherence to closure. I ask each and every one – follow the guidelines!”
It should be noted that at eight-thirty this morning, another shipment of hundreds of thousands of Pfizer vaccines is expected to arrive.
Ben Gurion Airport on the way to closing: Netanyahu will today ask the government to stop flights for two weeks
In addition to banning the entry and exit of passenger flights to and from Israel, Netanyahu will bring to the government’s approval the reduction of the permit to Ben Gurion Airport, so that this will be possible only in exceptional cases approved by a committee headed by health and transportation ministries.
The discussions were held at Netanyahu’s demand to “close Ben Gurion Airport”, after his political opponents attacked him for failing to deal with the field, and following the continued spread of corona mutations in the country.
It should be noted that the entry and exit of passengers through Ben Gurion Airport is very limited as well, following previous decisions made by the government. Also, on previous occasions when the proposal came up, Interior Minister Aryeh Deri objected, arguing that the State of Israel .
According to sources in the Ministry of Health, “We wanted to do this a few weeks ago, and now there is broader support. We are discussing the issue of very strict restrictions on Ben Gurion Airport and the departing flights. It will be difficult to close the airport hermetically for various reasons, but there is a chance that it will be close to that. “
It should be noted that in any case Ben Gurion Airport will not be hermetically sealed, because there are cargo flights and other flights of high importance. Therefore, it is not possible to completely shut down the airport, but it is likely to operate in a very limited format that tourists will not be allowed to go abroad. To.
At the same time, the cancellation of all flights to Dubai is being considered. The one that has already taken such a step is Denmark, which stopped all flights to and from Dubai for five days on Tuesday – due to fears of falsifying corona tests among those arriving from the country.
The increase in fines will be brought to the Knesset for a first reading
The “Fines Law”, which stipulates raising fines for violators of the Corona directives and is stuck in the past, is expected to reach the Knesset for a first reading tomorrow.Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke last night with Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin and asked him to advance the legislation to increase fines.
The issue was approved by the Corona Cabinet and the government recently, but was “stopped” in the Knesset. The increase in fines is met with opposition from the ultra-Orthodox factions, but even last night it was not yet clear how the ultra-Orthodox parties would vote. They oppose the law mainly because of a section that stipulates that an educational institution that is opened in violation of regulations will be fined NIS 20,000 and not NIS 5,000 as it is today.
Netanyahu agreed to talk to Deri, Litzman and Gafni on the matter last Wednesday or Thursday, but no such conversation took place.
Sources in the ultra-Orthodox parties clarified last night that until the conversation with Netanyahu – if there is one – their position will not change. This is a slightly stuttering position as it fails to explain the logic of opposing a law that can save lives.
A source in one of these parties told Israel Today that they have the feeling that this is a “political law, a law aimed at the ultra-Orthodox public. It stains it. There is no need to start raging. It is necessary to enforce. Open institutions are fined,” he ruled.
Last week, the Likud and blue and white wrestled around raising the law. In blue and white, they said that “Netanyahu will hold the public accountable for why he surrendered to entire sectors and refuses to close educational institutions and banquet halls. As long as he does not approve the enforcement – which will reduce morbidity – Netanyahu is solely to blame for any deterioration in public health.”
The Likud claimed in response that “blue and white are making politics from the war in Corona. Prime Minister Netanyahu said yesterday that he supports the promotion of fines in the Knesset, and indeed Secretary of State Braverman addressed the Knesset speaker demanding a plenary session. The appointment of Hili Trooper as Minister of Science in place of Yizhar Shai. “