Shalom and good evening, this is TV7 Israel
News broadcast to you from Jerusalem;
And in today’s top stories;
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases
throughout the Jewish state continues to rise,
with the latest data published by the Israeli
health ministry revealing that 4,831 individuals
tested positive to the disease, out of whom
83 are in critical condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
has entered self-quarantine, after his adviser
for the ultra-orthodox sector tested positive
for the corona contagion
Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon announced
the state’s economic aid package, which
aims to assist the Jewish State during these
times of crisis.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases
throughout the Jewish state continues to rise.
The latest data published by the Israeli health
ministry reveals that 4,831 individuals tested
positive to the disease, out of whom 83 are
in critical condition, as of eight O’clock
this morning.
I’m sad to report that three more Israelis
have lost their lives to the contagion, raising
the number of victims to 18 people.
Furthermore, the latest fatality to the contagion
this morning, is the youngest Israeli victim
thus far – a 49-year-old woman who is survived
by her two 4-year-old twins.
In contrast to the sorrow over each coronavirus
fatality; the number of Israelis that recovered,
including one Israeli who was classified as
critically ill, rose to 163 individuals total.
Meanwhile, incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu – whose adviser for the ultra-orthodox
sector tested positive for the corona contagion
– has entered self-quarantine, and is now
undergoing relevant medical tests for fear
of possibly contracting the disease, as well.
Thankfully, a first test of the Israeli leader
provided negative results.
Nevertheless; during a special televised briefing
from the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem,
in which the latest measures to be enacted
by the interim Israeli government were announced,
Premier Netanyahu underscored his decision
to remain in self-isolation – as part of
his efforts to set a personal example for
the people of Israel.
“This evening I am speaking to you from
the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem.
Even though my medical tests have not yet
been concluded, I have decided to enter into
voluntary quarantine in order to set a personal
example.”
The Israeli Prime Minister further noted that
while Israel is currently in a better position
than most countries around the world vis-à-vis
“patients in critical condition and the
mortality rate,” Jerusalem’s aspiration
aims to learn from several Asian countries
– including South Korea – which managed
to greatly slow the contagion’s spread.
“It is true that we, in Israel, are in a
better position than almost any other country
regarding the number of patients in critical
condition and the mortality rate, but we are
not satisfied therewith.
We aspire to the degree of success of several
Asian countries, which have greatly slowed
the rate of infection.
Therefore, I have decided this evening to
submit to the Cabinet additional life-saving
restrictions.”
Netanyahu also sought to reassure the Israeli
public over the government’s unrelenting
resolve to deal with scores of the ultra-orthodox
sector in the Jewish State, many of whom refuse
to adhere to the government’s legally-binding
directives.
The premier underscored that while the majority
of the citizens of Israel are acting responsibly
by obeying the government’s directives,
“there are certain groups in the country
which are pointedly ignoring, and are even
showing contempt for the measures enacted
by the authorities in Jerusalem.
“Now I must say, citizens of Israel, that
most of you are adhering to the directives
of the Health Ministry.
I thank you for that.
But we have still not reached the desired
point.
There are individuals – and moreover, there
are certain groups in the country which are
pointedly ignoring, and are even showing contempt
for, the clear directives that have been published.”
/ “Whoever violates the ban on congregating
is trampling the basic principles of 'Love
your neighbor as yourself' and ‘“neither
shalt thou stand against the blood of thy
neighbor (Leviticus 19:16).’
This is unabashed lawlessness.
Therefore, I have ordered the security forces
to prepare for a stepped-up enforcement operation.”
It is important to mention that the Prime
Minister’s reference vis-à-vis the evident
disobedience by the ultra-orthodox sector
is backed by hard data.
Because of the drastic measures undertaken
by the government, the overall the rate of
confirmed infections across the majority of
Israel is showing some decline, while the
number of confirmed cases in the ultra-Orthodox
community is on the rise.
The two Israeli cities, which are struggling
the largest number of confirmed cases of the
coronavirus, include the predominantly ultra-orthodox
city of ‘Bnei Brak’, where one out of
every three individuals is tested positive
for the contagion - with a 34 percent infection-rate;
seconded by the Israeli capital Jerusalem,
where 10 percent of tests regrettably confirmed
contamination, a majority of whom are reportedly
from the ultra-orthodox sector.
Meanwhile, in response to the Premier’s
directives to bolster enforcement efforts;
police and riot police forces have been deployed
in numbers to neighborhoods and citizens,
which are predominantly populated by the ultra-orthodox
public.
“There are two main violations [of the measures]
that we know of in the ultra-Orthodox sector,
one [is congregating] in synagogues and the
other is in ultra-orthodox seminaries, that
unfortunately still continue to operate disregarding
the disease and everything that is currently
happening in the country… and we need to
be there to enforce the government ordered
measures and to make sure that those people
do not spread the disease.”
Israeli Police Spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld
explained the situation to TV7, saying that
the challenges to convince the ultra-orthodox
community in Israel pertains to their deliberate
disconnect from general news outlets, which
provide the public with the government’s
directives, as well as the densely populated
neighborhoods they live in.
Rosenfeld stressed that dialogue in ongoing
with the Rabbis of the separate ultra-orthodox
communities, who are regarded as the sole
authority which this sector adheres to.
"It's very hard for us because normally here
in this city we are always together and we
like the community and (this past) couple
of these days because we have to be careful
we are trying to do the best even if it's
much more harder than other places."
Turning back to Jerusalem, where;
Israeli Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon announced
additional funds that will be allocated as
part of the government’s economic aid package
to assist a growing number of Israelis that
are struggling amid the coronavirus crisis.
“The state of Israel faces, during these
days, the severest economic crisis in its
history.
Under less than a month, we jumped from 30,000
unemployed to 1 million unemployed.
This is an incomprehensible number.
Entire sectors and businesses have been closed,
hundreds of thousands of households are collapsing
under economic distress.”
In efforts to assist the public, Minister
Khalon announced that the economic aid package
is to be expanded to 80 billion shekels, equal
to roughly 20.5 billion Euros or 22.5 billion
U.S. dollars, out of which 11 billion shekels,
about 2.8 billion Euros or 3.1 billion dollars,
will be allocated to the Israeli health care
system.
Furthermore, roughly 40 billion shekels, about
10.3 billion Euros or 11.2 billion U.S. dollars,
will be dedicated to the commercial sector;
20 billion shekels, roughly 5.2 billion Euros
or 5.6 billion U.S. dollars, will be earmarked
to expanding the social safety net and to
provide relief for households.
Furthermore, 8 billion shekels, a little over
2 billion Euros or 2.25 billion U.S. dollars,
will be dedicated to the state’s economic
stimulus plan.
"Today, we will add 70 billion shekels in
addition to 10 billion already promised in
the past.
The total is 80 billion shekels.
It is a lot of money.
It is about 6 percent from Israel's national
product."
Minister Kahlon sought to reassure the general
public of the state’s economic resilience,
which – according to him - will likely improve
faster than projected, once the contagion
is subdued.
“We as the state of Israel, and the economic
system, have entered this crisis with a strong
economy with the lowest unemployment in the
history of the Israeli economy.
With the best credit rating since the establishment
of the state.
And I say to all citizens of the state of
Israel, we will return to economic strength.
Much bigger than expected.
Much faster.
This situation will not last forever.
I believe that immediately after Passover,
the economy will function again, gradually,
but it will return.”
It is interesting to note that Finance Minister
Moshe Kahlon also announced that he plans
to resign from his political life, once the
new national emergency government is formed.
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