Despite a lower-than-expected turnout, the small business revolt kicked off this morning • Hundreds of shopkeepers across the country, including hairdressers, toy stores and beauty salons, opened their doors to customers, despite the risk: "The closure has broken out and only business owners are left to bleed."
Shops are closed in the Old City of Jerusalem
Photography:
AFP
Although in about a week the first facilitations are expected to set in motion towards leaving the quarantine, but according to the apparent outline, the same sign of optimism is not relevant at all without a few small business owners, most of whom are already desperate for the current situation.
The first buds of the "rebellion" began this morning (Sunday) in what appears to be the first organized protest by business owners against the planned layout, after hundreds of them, large and small from all over the country, opened their businesses illegally and despite the danger of being fined thousands of shekels.
The move was made by the "There will be no closure" group, which numbers tens of thousands of business owners from all over the country.
In a letter issued this morning by Tamir Barelko, who is leading the protest, he addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said: "We have no choice but to fight for our livelihood. There is no connection between the spread of the corona epidemic and the opening of small businesses.
The Association of Commercial, Fashion and Catering Chains in Israel, which numbers about 400 chains and tens of thousands of retail stores across the country, announced today that all businesses affiliated under it and not located in red cities will open on October 18, whether approved by the government or not.
In a statement, they said: "The Ministry of Health has decided not to count the business sector. The way to defeat the corona cannot be passed by verifying the killing of the business sector."
This coming Wednesday, a zoom conference of all the chains on the subject will be held in preparation for the opening of stores next Sunday in non-red cities, the conference will also be attended by representatives of malls and shopping centers in Israel who will highlight the reopening and review all aspects of returning workers.
Also in the field of catering and restaurants do not intend to give up and demand to open their business next week: "We have been bleeding for more than half a year since the previous closure," said Guy Yakar, owner of the "Falafel Square" chain.
"The demands that we wait a month and a half do not make sense and do not correspond with reality. Restaurants can not just stay with deliveries, we have no horizon and no future."
"We came back after the first wave when we were all trying to rebuild the business, we took out loans, we committed to suppliers and we were not allowed to continue to start the business. We try to explain to the treasurer, ministers and unfortunately no attention. We look around and see a breach with streets full of people At home to bleed, we can not continue like this and certainly not wait a month and a half, "he added.
Uri Yaakovov, owner of the City Wash Express car wash, said: "In light of the government's handling of small businesses, I decided, like thousands of other businesses, to open my City Wash branches as usual. Since the solution I offer is car wash without any meeting between "Network employees to customers, the whole process is automatic and the subscriber is identified by the machine and goes into immediate flushing, there is no reason to shut me down."
"The car wash industry, which includes more than 700 car washes and 10,000 workers, most of whom are of low socioeconomic status, has been fatally damaged by irrational government decisions. I call on decision makers to save us, the small businesses trying to survive such a difficult time and officially open some That earlier. "
A beauty salon owner from the central region, who refused to identify herself by name even though she opened as usual because she was afraid that the inspectors in the city would "run to give her a fine", she told Israel Today: "I am already desperate and have nothing to lose so I opened, even if one customer came "He will pay a hundred shekels in front of a report in the amount of 5,000 shekels that I will receive. I am calm because I finally left the house and opened the clinic, it was worth it."
"I see news and am aware of all the numbers but I and quite a few like me kept all the rules, we didn't really have to close. I lost a lot of money that I have no idea if I will ever get compensated for it. I hope we will be allowed to open soon because it's not really nice to be." "Rebel and open against the rules. We have no adhesions and we do everything to keep the rules, release the restraint from us a bit."
Ziva Mugrabi Cuban participated in the preparation of the article