Live UpdateFrom the Liveblog of Monday, April 11, 2016

45 Israeli beaches to open early for Passover vacation

11 April 2016, 6:00 pm Edit

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri says he has ordered the early opening of dozens of beaches along Israel’s Mediterranean coast in order to ensure that families can visit the beaches safely while schools are closed during the Passover holiday that begins next week.

Beach season officially begins May 9, when the ranks of lifeguards and cleaning crews are bolstered to accommodate higher summertime traffic on the beaches..

But Deri decided to move that date up to April 22, the start of the holiday, at 45 of the nation’s busiest beaches.

“Have fun and stay safe,” he says on Twitter.