coronavirus cabinet

View of the closed-down stores in the Givatayim Mall during a nationwide lockdown, January 18, 2021. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

January 19, 2021, 8:13 pm

Government extends lockdown until January 31 amid soaring virus rates

Ministers also approve new regulations requiring all those entering the country to present a recent negative virus test or face a fine

By TOI staff

Israel's coronavirus czar Prof. Nachman Ash at the Jerusalem Municipality, on November 22, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

January 19, 2021, 7:33 pm

Israel’s virus czar says 1st dose less effective than Pfizer indicated — report

Nachman Ash reportedly says it’s not certain vaccines can protect against mutated coronavirus strains; 12,400 Israelis were infected with virus after receiving 1st shot

By TOI staff

Police at a temporary roadblock in Jerusalem during a 3rd nationwide lockdown, in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, on January 19, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

January 19, 2021, 5:53 pm

Amid sky-high infections, Netanyahu pushes ministers to extend lockdown

Blue and White said prepared to back move, but only up to 10 days and only if enforcement is upped where closure is being violated; 30%-40% of cases blamed on British variant

By TOI staff

People walk in downtown Jerusalem on January 17, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

January 17, 2021, 11:28 pm

As Israeli death toll tops 4,000, ministers set to extend lockdown for 3rd week

Health experts reported to tell cabinet infections rates will stay high even after another week of lockdown; cabinet orders all arrivals from UAE into quarantine hotels

By TOI staff

Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox men from the Toldos Aharon Hasidic dynasty attend a wedding in Beitar Illit, violating coronavirus regulations, January 5, 2021. (Screenshot: Twitter)

January 6, 2021, 2:00 pm

As infections surge, mass ultra-Orthodox weddings held despite lockdown rules

Hundreds attend events in Beitar Illit, where positive test rate is highest in Israel at 26%, and Bnei Brak, where police are reportedly ordered to let wedding go on

By TOI staff

Health care workers take coronavirus test samples of Israelis in a drive through complex in Jerusalem, January 4, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

January 6, 2021, 10:47 am

Virus cases top 8,000 for 2nd straight day as minister warns against complacency

Active infections, serious cases nearing all-time high; mass wedding held in Beitar Illit, which has 26% positive test rate; Edelstein says 115,000 people vaccinated Tuesday

By TOI staff

Israeli small business owners protest the government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Tel Aviv, on January 5, 2021 (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

January 6, 2021, 8:24 am

‘Guinea pigs for the government’: Business owners decry fresh lockdown

Commerce chiefs argue self-employed are paying the price for failure to contain the virus; full closure to take effect midnight Thursday, shutting all schools, non-essential stores

By TOI staff

Police at a temporary checkpoint during Israel's third coronavirus lockdown, Jerusalem, December 29, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

January 5, 2021, 10:53 pm

‘Final effort’: Cabinet okays 2-week lockdown to counter mushrooming virus cases

Full closure to take effect midnight Thursday, shutting all schools, non-essential businesses; daily cases hit 8,000 amid fears of unchecked British variant spread; 1.5m vaccinated

By TOI staff

A woman walks through Tel Aviv's Hatikva Market during a nationwide lockdown, on January 3, 2021 (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

January 5, 2021, 5:57 pm

Ministers convene to approve full lockdown starting Friday

Netanyahu and Gantz said to agree on plan to shutter schools and most businesses; both appear to blame UK virus variant for recent steep rise in cases

By TOI staff

The closed down Hatikvah Market, during a nationwide lockdown, on January 3, 2021. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

January 4, 2021, 9:15 pm

Netanyahu to convene ministers within 48 hours to decide on new lockdown steps

PM urges a short, strict closure, due to ballooning infections; health minister warns that without action, Israel will suffer same grim fate as Italy last year

By Stuart Winer and TOI staff

Prof. Ronni Gamzu speaks during an interview with the Associated Press at his office near the central Israeli city of Lod, September 24, 2020 (AP Photo/Sebastian Scheiner)

January 2, 2021, 7:09 pm

Often spurned by cabinet that hired him, ex-virus czar lashes COVID leadership

Channel 12’s ‘Uvda’ followed Ronni Gamzu as he fought to build coherent national virus policy. He now says Israel’s politicians are ‘cowards’ who often chose optics over substance

By TOI staff

A technician collects nasal swab samples for COVID-19 at the coronavirus lab, at Ben-Gurion International Airport on December 14, 2020. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

December 29, 2020, 4:51 pm

In U-turn, government cancels forced hotel quarantine for arrivals from abroad

Requirement for travelers to spend 2 weeks in state facilities had faced public criticism, was selectively enforced, and prompted clashes at isolation centers

By TOI staff

Dozens of Israelis who had returned from abroad attempt to break out of a forced quarantine in the Leonardo hotel in Jerusalem, December 28, 2020. (Screen Capture: Channel12)

December 28, 2020, 10:04 pm

Forced hotel quarantine said likely to be nixed, as dozens try to break out

Israelis who had returned from abroad clash with guards at Jerusalem IDF-run facility; Gantz, deputy health minister say policy should be rethought

By TOI staff

File: Parked airplanes at Ben Gurion Airport, August 8, 2020 (Olivier Fitoussi/FLASH90)

December 25, 2020, 11:44 am

Chaos reported at airport, with few sent to quarantine hotels despite new rules

Though cabinet ordered all arrivals isolated at gov’t facilities, barely 1 in 10 said to actually go; passengers report pandemonium upon landing: ‘Nothing prepared in advance’

By TOI staff

People who landed on a flight from England arrive at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Jerusalem, which is being used as a quarantine facility, on December 20, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

December 21, 2020, 3:38 pm

Israel to compel all returning citizens to isolate in hotels from Wednesday

Foreign nationals to be barred; Israelis returning in next 48 hours from all destinations said to require home quarantine; travelers testing positive to be checked for new strain

By TOI staff