Prime Minister Netanyahu on Tuesday shot down a recommendation made by the  National Security Council (NSC) that would have seen all Shuls and Yeshivos be closed in response to the skyrocketing coronavirus infection rate in Israel.

In addition to closing shuls and yeshivos, the NSC also recommended that restaurants be limited to take-out and deliveries.

Several of the participants in the discussion recommended that the government re-impose a full lockdown.

The meeting in which the discussion took place was attended by Finance Minister Yisrael Katz, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein, Science and Technology Minister Yizhar Shai, Head of the National Economic Council Prof. Avi Simhon, Governor of the Bank of Israel Prof. Amir Yaron, Acting Director-General of the Prime Minister’s Office Ronen Peretz, Director General of the Health Ministry Prof. Hezi Levi, and former Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov.

Netanyahu issued instructions to strengthen the healthcare system through improved standards, budgets, and manpower and added that additional financial assistance should be provided to families.

THE NSC will be holding another meeting in the coming days in order to discuss additional steps to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)