Against the backdrop of the high morbidity figures: The Corona Cabinet met this evening (Monday) for a discussion via Zoom, to approve the outline for returning to school, the expansion of the 'green label', and the restrictions on the Western Wall plaza.
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Some of the ministers participating in the discussion expressed concern ahead of the start of the school year and the Tishrei holidays. They fear that mass gatherings will lead to a further increase in confirmed and seriously ill cases.
Public Security Minister Amar Bar-Lev warned in the debate about what to expect following the trip to Uman. He said it was a "mega-event" that could cause great damage in the fight against the pandemic.
""It seems strange to me that we are ignoring a ticking time bomb," the minister said. "Well, 100,000 people are there in a crowded place. They get on a plane, disperse to homes, then disperse to synagogues. There is a mega event here. Keep in mind that 15,000 have already been there for a long time.".
A Haredim 10 reporter notes that similar warnings were not issued during the summer months, when hundreds of thousands of Israelis went abroad, including to 'red' countries. In addition, it goes without saying that there are not 100,000 Hasidim in Uman.
The Defense Ministry's defense chief, Brigadier General (res.) Moshe Edri, responded to Bar-Lev about Uman: "Currently, a consultation call is being held with the ambassador in Ukraine to conduct tests there, and at the same time, there are negotiations with a company that will go to Ukraine, where they will set up testing stations.".
Bar Lev commented: "On the issue of enforcement - the Israel Police is doing its utmost, but anyone who thinks that if the pessimistic scenarios come true and people return sick from training or from schools and the solution will be enforcement, then he is wrong. Let no one deceive himself.".
Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked: "If we make a restrictive plan for the Western Wall, I also want a plan for prayers on the Temple Mount.".
Minister Bar Lev replied: "There will be a discussion about exactly that tomorrow.".
Lapid said about the outline of the prayers at the Western Wall: "I recommend involving the Western Wall rabbi so that it doesn't appear that we are coming to tell the haredim how to live, but rather that they understand that we are concerned about their health. There is no one type of gathering - there is no wedding law for the Gesher Theater. There are very messy types of gatherings and there are very orderly ones, and vice versa, such gatherings should actually be rewarded.".
Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz warned that mass gatherings jeopardize the achievements made so far: "We need to limit mass gatherings, especially when we take a risk and start a school year, but it's not on the agenda in this cabinet simply because there is no ability to coordinate it with other ministries - and there is also no desire on the part of the Ministry of Finance to compensate the industries that will be affected by this. In the end, things of less importance than this, such as huge concerts, threaten the start of the school year.".
