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coronavirus cabinet
Prof. Ronni Gamzu at a meeting with Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion at the Jerusalem City Hall, August 12, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
September 24, 2020, 3:13 pm
Virus czar: Lockdown stricter than it should be, will have ‘tremendous’ costs
Ronni Gamzu says he recommended just tightening restrictions, but was rebuffed by government; respects final decision
By TOI staff
Yamina leader Naftali Bennett during a visit in downtown Jerusalem on August 5, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 24, 2020, 12:31 pm
Opposition leaders fume at ‘insane’ virus lockdown
Cabinet ministers trying to cover for their failed management of crisis, charges Bennett; ‘What’s the plan’ to prevent a third lockdown, demands Lapid
By TOI staff
Police set up a temporary roadblock on Menachem Begin Street in Tel Aviv to enforce a coronavirus lockdown, on September 23, 2020. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
September 24, 2020, 9:44 am
Cabinet approves near-total national shutdown to stem runaway infection rate
Ministers limit holiday prayer gatherings and demonstrations, close ‘nonessential’ businesses ; finance minister decries new closure’s ‘critical’ harm to the economy
By TOI staff
The empty Ayalon Highway in Tel Aviv, on September 20, 2020 amid the second coronavirus lockdown. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
September 23, 2020, 10:55 pm
Ministers agree on full lockdown, more severe than Israel’s first
Reports: Measure will last until October 10; demonstrations limited to 1km from home; synagogues to shutter except for limited prayers on Yom Kippur; cabinet convenes to okay plan
By TOI staff
Defense Minister Benny Gantz (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset plenum on August 24, 2020. (Knesset Spokesperson's Office)
September 23, 2020, 6:29 pm
Talks on new curbs devolve into finger-pointing on protests by Netanyahu, Gantz
As outbreak surges, Blue and White chief derides ‘obsession’ with halting rallies, while PM claims party playing politics; Poll: Majority back halting protests, shutting synagogues
By TOI staff
Israelis wearing face masks due to the coronavirus outbreak near a closed restaurant in Jerusalem, May 3, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
September 22, 2020, 12:17 pm
Cabinet mulls new restrictions as treasury warns of ‘irreversible’ economic harm
Finance Ministry chief urges health officials to resist more severe lockdown despite runaway infections; ministers expected to review fresh limits on workforce, synagogue closures
By TOI staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits the city of Beit Shemesh near Jerusalem on September 8, 2020. (Alex Kolomiensky/Pool/AFP)
September 15, 2020, 3:11 pm
Netanyahu earned his moment in the sun – and the public distrust that clouds it
PM is both the grand strategist who produced the peace being unveiled Tuesday, and the political acrobat whose ceaseless campaigning is undermining Israel’s coronavirus fight
By Haviv Rettig Gur
Israelis wear protective face masks in Tel Aviv on August 25, 2020. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)
September 11, 2020, 12:18 pm
Virus task force: At least 3 months needed to bring cases down to 400 a day
Report by IDF’s Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center also shows COVID-19’s doubling rate is on the rise, as is the doubling rate of serious cases
By TOI staff
People walk with face masks on Jaffa street in Jerusalem on September 10, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 11, 2020, 8:27 am
Daily virus cases surpass 4,000 for 2nd day as Israel heads toward lockdown
Shattering another record, 4,038 new infections diagnosed Thursday; nearly 500 in serious condition; ministers green-light sweeping restrictions to curb outbreak
By TOI staff
Men hold prayers outdoors in Jerusalem on September 9, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 11, 2020, 6:07 am
Schools, businesses, prayers: The 3 phases of the new virus lockdown plan
Expected to take effect from next week until mid-October, lockdown rules impose restrictions on education, movement, social activities; will soften as time goes on
By TOI staff
Former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot speaks at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya's annual conference on September 10, 2020. (Screen capture: IDC)
September 10, 2020, 1:38 pm
Ex-IDF chief: Government has failed in pandemic response, lost public’s trust
Speaking at IDC conference, Gadi Eisenkot appears to criticize prime minister’s attacks on police and state attorney’s office, questions sale of F-35s to UAE
By Judah Ari Gross
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets schoolchildren as he attends a ceremony to mark the start of the school year in Mevo Horon on September 1, 2020. (Marc Israel Sellem/Pool/AFP)
September 9, 2020, 4:34 am
Virus-battered Israel pays the price of Netanyahu’s endless election campaign
A consensus is building on left, right and center that no pandemic or economic meltdown will convince the PM to stop electioneering long enough to manage the crisis
By Haviv Rettig Gur
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at a military base belonging to the IDF's Home Front Command, on September 7, 2020. (Screen capture/YouTube)
September 7, 2020, 9:37 pm
PM rips into opposition after call not to heed virus rules: ‘This is anarchy’
Netanyahu says experts concerned about likely spike in serious cases, deaths; claims cases have not been traced to rallies against him because demonstrators shut off phones
By TOI staff
Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky at his home in Bnei Brak on December 26, 2019. (Yaakov Nahumi/Flash90)
September 7, 2020, 7:52 pm
Virus czar apologizes for criticizing Haredi rabbi who reportedly bucked testing
Moving to mend fences with ultra-Orthodox community, Ronni Gamzu says Chaim Kanievsky did not, as reported, tell students to avoid testing
By TOI staff
Police officers on Jaffa Street in Jerusalem on August 10, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
September 7, 2020, 6:32 pm
Local virus curfews delayed by a day, hours before their scheduled start
Health Ministry says new regulations to go into effect in 40 hotspots Tuesday night, amid disagreements with mayors of cities across the country
By TOI staff
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