Four Members of Knesset (MK) were sent into quarantine and the Knesset’s activities were scaled back after MK Sami Abu Shehade tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

At the end of the epidemiological investigation conducted by Health Ministry representatives, it was decided that four MKs from the Joint List, of which Shehade is a member, will enter isolation.

The four are MKs Matanes Shahadeh, Hiba Yazbak, Aida Toma Suleiman and Ayman Odeh. Two faction directors and four guests who visited Abu Shahade’s office were also required to enter into domestic isolation.

The Ministry of Health notified those who are required to enter the isolation and updated them with details of the investigation. Knesset officer Joseph Griff was also updated on the findings.

Following the exposure, most of the Knesset’s activities were postponed or canceled. The Knesset called on MKs who are not required to come to the parliament to refrain from doing so.

Israel registered a spike in the number of Corona cases over the past week with over 740 new active patients, mostly infections in the school system. Ministry of Education data shows that 330 students and teachers have been diagnosed since the school system was reopened and 111 schools were closed.

However, the Ministry of Education emphasized that the vast majority of educational institutions are operating as usual and that only 0.42% of the educational institutions were closed.

Following the rise in morbidity, Transport Minister Miri Regev announced Saturday night that it is possible that due to the need to prepare for passenger services, the train service’s reopening may be delayed from Monday to Wednesday.

In total, the number of active Corona patients in Israel stands at 2,407.

An IDF officer was severely wounded on Wednesday by another officer’s gunfire during a military exercise which took place as part of the company commanders’ course at the National Land Training Center in Tze’elim in the south of the country.

The Lieutenant Colonel was evacuated for medical treatment at Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva, where he underwent surgery for a gunshot to the abdomen.

Soroka Hospital stated Thursday morning that the officer’s condition has improved.

“After initial treatment in the trauma room, the officer was transferred to an operating room, and after several hours of surgery, was transferred to a general intensive care unit. His condition improved this morning, he was conscious, breathing on his own and in stable condition,” the hospital stated.

The military police have launched an investigation into the circumstances of the incident.

Maj. Gen. Moti Baruch decided to halt all firearms training at the National Land Training Center until the incident’s investigation is complete.

The Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) completed on Tuesday a dual operational firing trial with LORA (Long-Range Artillery Weapon System), a precise ballistic strike missile that can accurately hit a target 400 km away.

The objective of the trial was to demonstrate the capabilities of the advanced system to customers.

Held in the open sea, the trial included the launch of two long-range LORA missiles to a target at sea.

The complex trial included two scenarios. The first scenario involved a short-range launch to 90 km and the second to a long range of 400 km. In its ground version mounted on a truck, the weapon system was deployed on a ship in the open sea to comply with the safety requirements of trials of this type.

The missile was launched from an operational system that comprises a command trailer and a ground launcher. Under both scenarios, the missile was launched to its trajectory, navigated its course to the target, and hit it with precision.

Both the weapon system and the missile successfully met all of the trial’s objectives, the IAI said.

LORA is a sea-to-ground and ground-to-ground system which includes a long-range ballistic missile, a unique launcher, a command and control system, and ground or marine support system.

The LORA system provides ballistic assault capabilities for multiple ranges with a precision level of 10 meters Circular Error Probable (CEP).

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated after the successful trial that “parallel with our war on corona, we are continuing to safeguard Israel’s security – on defense and offense.”

“Well done to IAI and the defense establishment. Today’s successful test is good news for the citizens of Israel and more bad news for Israel’s enemies,” he added.

An employee of the Prime Minister’s Office was found positive to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) on Monday, raising the possibility that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have to enter quarantine again.

The PMO said it was investigating when he came into contact with Netanyahu and his immediate surroundings, and whether they would be required to enter isolation.

The employee handled the preparations for the Netanyahu’s Saturday night declaration regarding the Coronavirus.

“An epidemiological inquiry is being conducted, at the end of which appropriate guidelines will be given to those who came in contact with him,” the PMO stated.

This is the second time Netanyahu is facing such a situation.

At the end of March, Rivkah Paloch, Netanyahu’s aid on Ultra-Orthodox issues, was diagnosed with the novel Coronavirus and Netanyahu entered a quarantine.

He left isolation after two days, but then it was revealed that then-Minister of Health Jacob Litzman also carried the virus. Netanyahu again went into isolation for about a week.

The IDF’s military prosecution on Sunday filed an indictment against Salah Hamed, a Palestinian Authority (PA) policeman, charging him with intentionally causing the death of Ben Yosef Livnat at Joseph’s Tomb in Shechem (Nablus) in 2011, attempted murder, and the disrupting of court proceedings.

According to the indictment, in April 2011, the defendant, along with others, was at Joseph’s Tomb, was on patrol for the PA’s regional national security.

During the night, they spotted Israeli vehicles entering the Tomb and Israelis exiting the vehicles. They started shooting in the air to keep the Israelis out of the compound.

As the vehicles exited the complex, the patrol commander, the defendant and another patrolman, fired several bullets at the vehicles.

As a result, Ben Yosef Livnat was killed and three other Israelis were injured.

Livant was the father of four children, and the youngest was a year and a half old.

While Hamed is in Israeli custody, his accomplices have taken refuge in the PA.

Another PA policeman who took part in the shooting was convicted of shooting at a man and disrupting the investigative and legal proceedings but was acquitted of murder.

The military prosecution filed an appeal demanding that he be convicted of murder. A hearing on the appeal took place about two years ago, but the judges have not yet decided on the matter.