Israel’s middle and high schools are remaining open for the time being despite Health Minister Yuli Edelstein’s recommendation to close them, the Prime Minister’s Office stated.

Following a meeting on Tuesday evening with senior health and education officials, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu decided that the schools will remain open, pushing off a further decision until Wednesday. Meanwhile, the prime minister requested further data and an evaluation of methods to protect students against further infection.

Education Minister Yoav Gallant vehemently opposed the move to close schools, blaming the health ministry for “sowing unnecessary panic” and claiming that health ministry data has not significantly changed.

Some municipalities have decided to take matters in their own hands, telling principals that they are authorized to close schools and resume long-distance learning. Other schools were closed by parents’ associations who held votes on whether to close the schools or leave them open.

Many Israelis are wondering why the standards for students in schools differ from the standards for people in shopping malls, restaurants, and other areas.

“Educational institutions are the most crowded areas in Israel these days,” a Yisrael Hayom columnist wrote. “Our children sit in classrooms of 35-40 children with zero distance from each other,” she said, comparing the student to Knesset members who are separated from each other by plastic barriers during meetings.

The Hebrew Gymnasium school, where the largest outbreak occurred, was thoroughly disinfected on Wednesday.

עיריית ירושלים ביצעה פעולות חיטוי בתיכון הגמנסיה העברית בעקבות התפרצות נגיף קורונה במקום pic.twitter.com/LkC8zVUb6U

— כאן חדשות (@kann_news) June 3, 2020

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)