Senior diplomat: "Locksmith may not be able to escape" Israel today

The Corona Cabinet convenes for a crucial discussion • Ganz instructs the IDF: "Increased activity in red cities" • Gimzo and Edelstein propose: Full closure of 8 red cities - and Lily in the rest • Bnei Brak and Jerusalem neighborhoods added to the list of red settlements Over 3,000 infected per day

• On the way to a full closure?

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The Corona Cabinet is convened at this time (Thursday) for a crucial discussion, against the background of the dramatic increase in morbidity.

A senior diplomat said: "There may be no escape from a locksmith."

However, he said, the increase in morbidity was expected and inevitable in a situation where the economy is open.

An hour before the Corona Cabinet, Ganz convened a meeting attended by the director general of the Ministry of Defense, the deputy chief of staff, the general and the defense establishment, and stated: "Increase activity in red and orange cities to avoid general closure throughout the country; all security measures will be mobilized."

Photo: GPO

The same source added that many countries in the world, including those that have already announced that they have won the epidemic, have been caught in a second wave.

He noted that Prime Minister Netanyahu said many months ago that we would experience an accordion process of closing the economy and opening it in accordance with the data.

According to the proposal of Health Minister Edelstein and Corona Commissioner Prof. Gamzo, eight red cities ("shining") will have severe restrictions: a ban on leaving and entering the settlement, a 500-meter exit from the house, closing non-essential businesses and restrictions on public transportation.

The education system will not operate except for kindergartens and special education.

In other red cities - night closure and educational institutions and businesses as in bright red cities.

This recommendation was made to give a two-week chance to the traffic light program before the extreme move of closure and before the holiday season.

In the Edelstein area, it is said that this is a last-ditch attempt to prevent a closure before the holiday.

The move was made because when you look closely, you see that the red cities are responsible for most of the illness and have a higher rate of increase compared to other cities.

Updated list of red localities.pdf

3,150 people were diagnosed with new corona virus yesterday, the Ministry of Health announced this morning.

Yesterday, 34,324 tests were performed, of which the percentage of positive tests is 9.6%.

Against the background of the peak in the number of corona infections, the Corona cabinet will convene today for a dramatic discussion. 

Meanwhile, several other centers have been added to the Ministry of Health's "red" list of cities - including Bnei Brak, Taibeh, Jaljulia, Elad, Arara and a number of neighborhoods in Jerusalem (including the Muslim Quarter, the Armenian Quarter, the Jewish Quarter, Shuafat and Issawiya).

According to the "traffic light model", many restrictions will be imposed on those cities.

"Without a significant change in the extent of morbidity in the red cities - we can not avoid a full closure," Prof. Gamzo warned yesterday during a visit to Beitar Illit, which was declared a "red" city, but its leaders chose to operate the education system even though they were forbidden to do so.

"Unfortunately, we are witnessing a systematic violation of the guidelines," he told mayors. "Every evening there are events in the city that violate all procedures and yesterday, contrary to our directive, the city's educational institutions opened. I understand the complexity of the situation, but now state unequivocally - "Without increasing enforcement and encouraging inspections, we will be required to make complex decisions that may amount to a full closure."

The data presented by Gamzo show that 28% of the morbidity in Israel is in Arab society and 22% in ultra-Orthodox society.

"The consistent refusal to cooperate on the part of some red cities could lead to a very serious outbreak of morbidity. A significant increase in morbidity would require us to take drastic measures at the national level as well. In the routine of life even outside the red cities, "Gamzo warned.

"Tightened restraint" 

In the Cabinet, the experts advising Prof. Gamzo also recommended at their last meeting not to settle for the traffic light layout but to impose restrictions on the red cities.

"The traffic light program is not enough to reduce morbidity," experts warned.

They said, "If there is no reduction in morbidity, it may be necessary to expand the restrictions to orange cities as well."

Prof Gabi Barbash, a member of the Corona's expert cabinet, said that "most of the cases we see are not in red cities. The traffic light plan is important and it is a nice idea but it will not solve the illness to the extent we deal with it and treats only a small segment." 

He said, "The traffic light plan is beautiful on paper but should not deceive the public that the traffic light will solve all the problems. The reality is complex. It is better to prepare properly and close it and enter it in an informed manner."

The number of people infected on Monday and Tuesday was about 2,100 people a day.

In addition, another 35 deaths were added during these two days.

Participated in the preparation of the article: Lilach Shoval