Gamzu to recommend quarantine for Arab Israelis returning from West Bank

Israel’s task force combating the coronavirus outbreak is concerned cases are being imported from areas of the West Bank controlled by the Palestinian Authority, citing high infection rates there and among Arab Israelis.

During today’s meeting of the so-called coronavirus cabinet, coronavirus czar Ronni Gamzu will reportedly recommend mandatory quarantine for Arab Israelis returning after visiting the PA-controlled areas.

Also under consideration is the designation of Palestinian cities with high infection rates as “red” cities, which could presumably cause restrictions on people who have visited those cities.

The task force says in a report that PA areas have around 400 new daily cases with a 20% positive test rate (PA official numbers say this figure is in fact around 10%) and 30-40 new serious patients every day, concluding that those numbers indicate the true morbidity rate is around four times higher than the official numbers.

It says Arab Israelis are increasingly going to those areas for work, events and entertainment. It also highlights the fact that some 100,000 Palestinian workers cross into Israel every day.