Netanyahu Orders New Corona Restrictions in Israel

Jerusalem, 16 November, 2020 (TPS) -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday instructed the head of the National Security Council Meir Ben-Shabbat and the professional officials to formulate additional proposals for restrictions “so that Israel will be able to continue opening the economy and education in a responsible manner.”

After hours of deliberations, the Corona Cabinet concluded its lengthy seven-hour meeting with no decisions. It appears Netanyahu is pushing for a tradeoff – more restrictions in some areas with an easing of the restrictions in others.

Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz will hold a consultation Monday and submit a draft decision to the Corona Cabinet.

Netanyahu said that decisions “had to be made in a considered and responsible way.”

He stated during the meeting he “wants to make certain that we will continue to make the right decisions, with as broad agreement as possible, in order to allow us to open up the economy and education without endangering the lives and health of the citizens of Israel.”

“We have lowered morbidity to one of the lowest rates in the west, and I do not intend to give this up with a wave of the hand,” he asserted.

Israel entered a full lockdown in mid-September and has not fully emerged since.

The Ministry of Health updated Monday that it recorded 613 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours.

Of the 23,553 tests done Sunday, 2.7% returned positive, an increase since last week.

According to the data, 294 patients are hospitalized in serious condition, of whom 130 are on life support.

2,732 Israelis have died of the virus since the outbreak in February.