Netanyahu: We’ll beat the virus, but only if we are united

Other countries will also face the decision of whether to lock down again nationwide, “and in my opinion most of them will have no choice but to do so,” Netanyahu says.

He notes that Israel’s health care system “raised the red flag last week” and stresses that there has been a sharp rise in serious cases.

He denies that consultations on the lockdown have been friction-filled.

“I wouldn’t impose the lockdown if it wasn’t necessary,” he stresses, “and I won’t hesitate to tighten the restrictions if necessary…

“My obligation and responsibility as prime minister is not only to protect your health, but to protect your lives,” he says, and notes, “There’s a limit to what the health care teams can do (before the system is overwhelmed).”

He urges the public: “Wear masks and avoid gatherings” and says this will be necessary until there’s a vaccine. “The more this is done, the less there is a need for stringent measures. Those two steps are more important than any measures we impose.”

Regarding a vaccine, Netanyahu says “it will take another few months… it will take time… but it is in sight.”

“We’ll beat the coronavirus,” he notes, “but we’ll only beat the virus if we act together.”