""Excessive demands": Ministers were furious - and the Corona cabinet ended without a decision

June 28, 2020   

In light of the increase in the number of people infected with the virus:  The Corona Cabinet met this morning (Sunday) to discuss reinstating some of the restrictions on the public - however, the discussion ended without decisions, and it was decided to convene the Cabinet again tomorrow.

The ministers were furious in the discussion about the intention to roll back the opening of the economy, saying: "The intention to close event halls and reduce summer camps to capsules is disproportionate." In the Ministry of Health, they demanded that wedding participants be limited to 50 people, that capsules be mandatory in the school during the summer vacation, and that prayers be limited to 19 people. In the Ministry of Health, they also wanted to limit the number of participants in shows to 250 without approving an increase to 500 with the approval of the Ministry of Health, as well as cancel conferences and exhibitions. The discussion raised the possibility of reducing work in the public sector to 30% work from home. The discussion also discussed increasing enforcement.

Finance Minister Israel Katz has strongly opposed the decisions being promoted by the Ministry of Health, which include restrictions on gatherings - mainly weddings and events. The Finance Ministry claims that this has implications for harming the economy.

Education Minister and Cabinet member Yoav Galant attacked the intention to divide the summer schools into capsules during the debate: "I am doing a service to the state by allowing a million children to be under supervision and responsibility while their parents go to work." Interior Minister Aryeh Deri called the Health Ministry's demands "excessive demands." Health Minister Edelstein said in the debate: "I ask that the ministers not just say what is not, offer an alternative. It is not wise to just say what is not." The Prime Minister instructed the Corona Cabinet to reduce the time for the epidemiological investigation process from the moment the patient is identified until all of his contacts are placed in isolation to 48 hours. Netanyahu also instructed to shorten the time from the moment a request is made for a test to its execution and transmission of its results to 12 hours. A debate was also held in the Constitution Committee today regarding imposing closures in areas with high morbidity. Health Ministry representative Dr. Anat Tsurel Farber admitted in the discussion: There was an error in the data that led to the decision to close down Tiberias. "There was an error in the data specifically, that's why we're reviewing the criteria again and again," she said. MK Gideon Sa'ar criticized: "The easiest thing for you is to close down a city.".