No decisions on easing lockdown before Thursday, Netanyahu and Gantz agree

While the coronavirus cabinet is meeting today to discuss the government’s strategy for lifting the lockdown, there will be no decisions until Thursday, the Prime Minister’s Office says.

The announcement is a compromise of sorts between Netanyahu, who wanted to postpone today’s meeting, and Gantz, who insisted it be held.

The PMO says that during a consultation on the matter earlier today, Ronni Gamzu “expressed grave concern over the fact that despite the lockdown conditions, 3,000 people were [confirmed to have been] infected in a single day [yesterday].”

It is a reference to the Health Ministry’s insistence that the lockdown remain fully in place until the number of daily confirmed cases dips below 2,000.

“Thus, in a consultation between the prime minister, the defense minister, the health minister and the science minister, it was decided to convene the coronavirus cabinet today to discuss the morbidity data and a systematic exit strategy defined by stages and criteria,” the PMO statement adds.

“In keeping with the data and the infection trends, on Thursday the cabinet will discuss whether to carry out a pilot move next week that will open small businesses that do not receive customers, along with [restaurant] pickups and preschools.”

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