The Israeli government convened today (Monday) to discuss the plan to withdraw from the quarantine and outline the green label, with among the issues discussed and preparations for the opening of the education system, the obligation to isolate in hotels and an update on the Exceptions Committee. After several hours of discussions, the government approved the third phase of the opening of the economy, according to which the restaurants, event gardens and the entire education system will open this coming Sunday.
It was also decided that in addition to the current curriculum, it will be possible to study in grades 7-10 in green and yellow cities, as well as in orange cities where 70% are vaccinated and a protective education program. It was also decided that in addition to the current, it will be possible to sit outside in cafes and restaurants in accordance with the purple mark without a green mark and that it will be possible to sit inside and outside cafes and restaurants, full activity of hotels, event gardens, attractions and conferences using a green mark. As for the crowd limit, a decision has been made to allow a crowd of 20 people inside and 50 outside (except in red cities where the limit of 10:20 will remain). The regulations will be brought for government approval in accordance with the completion of work on them.
The Catering Industry Forum stated that “we welcome the government’s decision to accept the responsible and considered outline we have proposed and hope that this coming Sunday will lead to a change in the bleak situation in our industry. At the same time, we call on the government to change the policy.” And in the workers – in the long run, because if they do not return to work, many businesses will have a hard time coping with the impossible situation created. “Changing the application model will save a lot of money and resources for the state, which needs them at this time more than ever.”
At the opening of the meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “the violations in public, both secular and ultra-Orthodox, are unbearable. We spoke with the heads of the Arab sector to increase the response to the vaccine there. Today we will discuss the third step to exit the quarantine. With a high percentage of vaccinated. “
Education Minister Yoav Galant said that “the Ministry of Education is prepared and ready to return the 7th grade students in the green, yellow and bright orange cities starting tomorrow.” “Every day is a critical day. There is contempt for students. Once we treated every school day with reverence. I hear the Ministry of Health and I can not understand the element of opacity and rigidity towards children unlike other populations. It is the opposite world.”
“I call on the prime minister and my colleagues to return to the right national priorities, and the one set months ago by the government – education first, not education at the end,” Galant said.
Afterwards, Netanyahu and Katz sought to pass a new economic plan, which turned into a scuffle between the Prime Minister and Defense Minister Bnei Gantz. “I must point out that the heart is sad to hear the plight of business owners and there are factors here that prevent them from receiving help and financial assistance that can really save lives, and this is because of an election economics claim. I do not care credit take it with you. I call on all opponents – I want to bring The next government’s economic plan The election claim is absurd, “Netanyahu said.
“Son, why do you object to transferring the money to them?” The prime minister asked. Ganz replied, “A state budget would have solved that.”
Benjamin Netanyahu, Bnei Gantz (Photo: Reuters)Katz noted that “business assistance passed after I worked hard, it moved to the Ministry of Justice. Today I had discussions about an incentive for the unemployed to return to work, it is a need that has arisen now. My son, I turned to you, let’s continue the conversation.”
Gantz replied, “You are talking about a plan that has not been presented. By and large, I am in favor of all things.” Katz asked: “So why don’t you give the green light?”, Ganz explained: “There are things here that are election bribes.”
Culture Minister Hili Trooper joined the debate and asked the Prime Minister: “How are you rolling out the cancellation of the economic plan on us? You did not bring a budget, how are we to blame? “
Katz turned to Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit and said that “no official in the Treasury will determine whether more help should be given to businesses, because it is a matter of attitude and policy and not of numbers.”
Netanyahu joined Katz and explained to members of the government why the new grant program should be transferred soon. Netanyahu then left the meeting to have an “important conversation.”
Israel Katz (Photo: Miriam Elster, Flash 90)Ganz: “As far as I am concerned, there is no sitting until the Prime Minister returns. “The yeshiva ceased to be a government yeshiva, but a clash of Israel’s clashes with officials and others. Tzachi, if you want to renew the yeshiva headed by the prime minister, call. The meeting was then resumed.
Afterwards, the corona’s professor, Prof. Nachman Ash, presented the ministers with the latest data from the corona, in which he showed that the coefficient of infection, the R, reached 1 today. The professor recommended “wait until Wednesday to make a final decision on the opening of the economy planned for next week”, adding: “The infection coefficient must be lower than 1 because otherwise the plague will spread again, Purim events will lead to an increase in morbidity”.
Prof. Nachman Ash (Photo: Mark Israel Salem)Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said in response that he “adhered to a plan decided on by the Israeli government,” noting that “with caution and concern one can try and move forward with the opening.” He added that “with all due respect to the optimistic data, what happened during Purim will be reflected in 14-12 days.
Later, the head of the public health services at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Sharon Elrai-Price, referred to the morbidity data in the corona virus and said that there was a significant and alarming increase in morbidity up to the age of 9.
The government then discussed the issue of the Exceptions Committee, which grants entry permits to Israel through Ben Gurion Airport. Defense Minister Bnei Gantz raised the issue of Israelis who are stuck outside the country’s borders and cannot return to Israel. “We need to allow Israelis to return home. “In other countries, citizens are not prevented from returning, it is only with us,” Ganz said.
Regarding the layout of the sky presented by Transport Minister Miri Regev, the Prime Minister instructed the head of the National Security Council to establish a team with the participation of the Ministries of Health, Transportation, Internal Security, Interior, Security, Finance and the Attorney General. For government approval.
Netanyahu said that “we have a constraint on the election, but there are many hitchhikers who want to enter the country while the center of their lives is not in Israel.”
Minister of Immigration and Absorption MK Pnina Tamano Sheta noted that “with all due respect it is not just an election constraint, there are previous basic rights that are violated. Many Israelis have become refugees in countries of necessity. Also an attempt to keep the exceptions committee that allows only 3,000 people to come home “He is not good. We will not abandon them.”
The government is also expected to discuss expanding the health services basket for 2021 as well as approving an increase in disability benefits, as approved yesterday by the Ministerial Committee on Legislative Affairs.