Ministers approve: clubs, banqueting rooms, swimming pools and gyms will be closed • Bus travel with 20 people - without air conditioning and open windows • Full guide

Following the rise in morbidity in Corona, government ministers decided Monday to close the clubs, event halls, public pools and gyms across the country. At the same time, the government today approved the draft law for the amendment and validation of emergency regulations, so that the restrictions that it decides to take effect immediately. The bill will be passed for approval of the Knesset plenum immediately.

Photo: Ministry of Health

According to the amendment to the law, the Knesset committee will discuss the decisions and decide whether to approve them in whole or in part, within seven days of the date in question. Up to three more days can be extended.

If the relevant committee does not approve the government's decision within the stipulated period, the decisions will be brought to the Knesset plenum as soon as possible. Alongside the Knesset approval process, the decisions will take effect and will be implemented immediately upon government approval. In the event that the committee or the Knesset plenary decides not to approve the order, or if it has not made a decision on the matter within the time allowed, the order will expire.

Education Minister Yoav Galant made it clear on Twitter: "For the avoidance of doubt - the schools of great freedom for kindergarten children and first and fourth graders continue to work in their proper form and in prescribed groups. There is no change in the guidelines. All other posts on the subject are in error."

To be sure, the schools of great freedom for preschoolers and first and fourth graders continue to work in their order, in their format and in designated groups.

There is no change in the guidelines.



All other posts on the subject, by mistake.

- Yoav Galant (@yoavgallant) July 6, 2020

Immediate restrictions

The restrictions that were approved at the Cabinet meeting and will take effect today, from the moment that the Director General of the Ministry of Health, Prof. Hezi Levy, signs the order requiring their implementation:

Prayer houses - up to 19 people only

The volume of deals in government offices and public companies - up to 30 percent

Summer activities for youth and children - up to 20 children / boys in the group

Organized sports activities - no crowds

The restrictions pending the Knesset's approval

At the same time as a series of restrictions approved by the government, the ministers adopted another list of regulations that depended on the plenum:

Buses - up to 20 people only, with open windows and no air conditioning

Ballrooms, clubs and bars - full closure

Restaurants - up to 20 people inside and up to 30 people outside

Gyms and swimming pools (except hotels) - full closure

Cultural Shows - Completely Closed

Hotels - closing the bars, limiting the amount of diners and pool activities

Other crowds - up to 20 people, while keeping two feet away and wearing masks

The synagogue director of the World Synagogue, Rabbi Shmuel Slotki, said they welcomed the decision to keep the worshipers' quarters active. "We understand the great danger that exists these days as a wide public congregates in a large gathering while praying full-time in the closed prayer space," said Rabbi Slotki. "Therefore, the decision to reduce the congregation in the synagogue almost to a minimum, while maintaining strict guidelines and clear social remoteness, is proportionate and informed and is understood.

"At the same time, we urge to continue to establish more open-air prayer quarters for those who cannot enter the prayer gates due to the quota set and for worshipers who are at risk. There is a man in his house. 'And you have been very guarded for your souls' always standing before our eyes. 'And living in them' - and not dying in them - has been taught by our sages. "

At the beginning of the cabinet meeting, controversies arose between the government ministers regarding the numerous restrictions on business and the public. Prime Minister Netanyahu said: "We need to address the Corona epidemic on the ground. The plague is spreading, it's clear as sun. It rises steeply every day, it carries with it, contrary to what we are told, a trail of severely ill patients. Today there are about 90 severely ill patients, and that doubles every four days. If we do not act now - we will receive hundreds, and possibly over a thousand serious patients in the coming weeks, which will paralyze our systems. That is why we are required to take immediate steps to prevent us from taking much more extreme steps later. 

"In most of the things that are brought before you here, we haven't touched. Our focus is mainly on restrictions on gathering in confined spaces. It's not easy. Every minister here represents some public, one or the other. I, too, all of us. But we also represent all the citizens of Israel, Citizens of Israel know, or need to understand, that we must at the moment take limited action with the least possible economic damage to avoid the same extreme measures that will paralyze the economy. Come as a package.

"I point out that we will be working and bringing a financial corona package very soon, to help anyone affected by these steps we are doing today, as well as other things. Helping businesses, helping self-employed people, helping employees. These are two steps we need to take, health and preventative measures. Danger to life, and aid to the economy. I ask for the assistance of the ministers, and I want to make decisions already at this meeting. "

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein was adamant, warning: "If they do not accept the Ministry of Health proposal today, we will have to decide on a full closure next week."

Minister Yuval Steinitz said: "We need to get a two-week breather as soon as possible to stop the morbidity immediately. Only then has the rate of infection dropped dramatically and in one go, and we can end the European boycott of flights from Israel, which is one of the main causes of economic damage ".

Steinitz noted that the synagogues were a significant source of contagion and offered to close them. He annoyed Housing Minister Jacob Litzman, who replied: "Stop talking about the synagogues already." At this point, Minister Aryeh Deri intervened, admitting that he had not been praying for a synagogue for a long time, due to the plague.

Most ministers tried to soften the decrees introduced by the Ministry of Health. Minister Gila Gamaliel said: "There must be internal logic and order in the decisions, so that they appear credible in the public interest.

In the coming hours, discussions will be held between the Minister of Higher Education Ze'ev Elkin and the Ministry of Health, in order to prevent the closure of the camps, as required by the Ministry of Health. In addition, Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir is scheduled to agree with health system representatives on the operating format of the hotels.

30,000 are infected

Meanwhile, the second wave of corona continues to hit: 817 new patients have been diagnosed over the past day, according to the Information and Knowledge Center. More than 30,000 Israelis have been infected with the virus since the outbreak of an epidemic. However, the number of new patients now stands at just 84, nine have been added in the last day, hoping that no radical increase will be recorded in the coming weeks. The death toll has exceeded 302 people.

More on:

Netanyahu at the opening of the cabinet meeting: "We will put more restrictions beyond what we decided this weekend"

• Corona Commission approved: Starting tomorrow - up to 50 people only at events, pubs and clubs

• Netanyahu: "We decided to limit congregations so that there are not tens of thousands of patients"

The local government center earlier attacked how the Ministry of Health manages the treatment of corona morbidity: "An emergency cannot be managed in this way, human life is not lawless and the economic consequences are disastrous and endanger the entire state of Israel," warned Haim Biebs, chairman The local government center and the mayor of Modi'in Maccabim Reut.

In her address to the Prime Minister, the Minister of Health, the Minister of the Interior and the chairman of the NSC, he warned that the residents were confused. "Our residents receive text messages after a week about being near a verified patient and having to go in for isolation. The message comes without telephone information to conduct an examination and without information where they were near a verified patient."

Bibs notes that alongside the message, it is necessary to state the person's whereabouts or provide a telephone number where the missing information can be obtained

"Public confidence in government institutions and messages is a prerequisite for discipline and self-restraint that the public is expected to impose on itself. Stay next to a verified patient, and there was no mistake in information as happened in the past. "

He also stated that a regular summons should be sent for a day-to-day review, "failing to continue the current indifferent conduct of leaving a person in solitary confinement for many days without knowing whether or not all this has happened when his livelihood has ceased."

Local authorities are warned that an examination conducted by them revealed that the Ministry of Health has collapsed and is not responding, as is the case with the provincial health bureaus.

More localities are joining the Morbidity Centers Safed today, with the newest one, Kiryat Malachi Kiryat Malachi added to the Morbidity Map. At the top of the morbidity list: Ashdod and Lod, where a closure was imposed on some of the neighborhoods, then Bnei Brak, Beitar Illit, and later on in Tel Aviv, the Arab appeal and more.

Today, at 8:00 am, the new restrictions approved by the Knesset Corona Commission came into force today. The restrictions allow up to 50 people to attend events, pubs and clubs. 

Participate in the preparation of the news: Noam (Dabol) Dvir