“Israel”: Gov’t Dispute May Cause Lifting of Lockdown

By Staff, Agencies

While the “Israeli” government weighs an extension to the lockdown expiring next week, a spat between the entity’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and War Minister Benny Gantz has put the cabinet’s meeting Tuesday in question.

Gantz’s office released a statement saying, “If we do not increase enforcement efforts – there will be no government meeting.”

The former military chief referenced the bill that passed Monday on first reading in parliament that would significantly increase fines for violations of coronavirus rules.

However, due to ultra-Orthodox parties’ reluctance to back the legislation, reports emerged that Netanyahu was willing to compromise on the measure.

If the government does not vote to extend the lockdown by midnight Tuesday, the Knesset will need to approve the regulations, in which case there may not be a majority for the motion, therefore, terminating the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the entity’s Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch told Army Radio on Tuesday morning that “We do not see the [morbidity rates] decrease we wanted to see, and the reason is with no doubt the spread of the British [coronavirus] variant.”