As over 2,000 new coronavirus vases were confirmed in Israel on Wednesday for the second straight day, with 153 seriously ill virus patients, several hospitals around the country began reopening their coronavirus wards.
Meanwhile, the Bennett-Lapid government is reluctant to implement any major restrictions and some health experts are expressing alarm, saying that Israel is amid a fourth wave that won’t just disappear without restrictions and that the number of seriously ill patients may triple itself in another month.
Over the past few days, tension over the coronavirus situation has made the headlines, with the main players being the Education Ministry versus the Health Ministry. Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope), known for her opposition to coronavirus restrictions, has attacked Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, the head of the Health Ministry’s Public Health division, for her support of implementing restrictions and even called for her to be fired from her position.
On Tuesday, Channel 13 News reported that “senior members of the coronavirus cabinet” anonymously attacked Alroy-Preis, a respected health expert, saying she “only sows hysteria, she acts like she’s crazy and doesn’t provide data to back up what she’s saying.”
Many MKs and other figures rallied to the defense of Alroy-Preis and slammed Shasha-Biton, who has spoken out against coronavirus restrictions from the beginning of the pandemic. Formerly a Likud MK and the head of the coronavirus cabinet under former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, she repeatedly sparred with Netanyahu over implementing virus restrictions. When Gideon Sa’ar began his New Hope party, she left the Likud to join his party and is now part of the coronavirus cabinet in the Bennett-Lapid government.
Now it seems as if Shasha-Biton has gone too far with her plan for the resumption of the school year, which has been slammed as being completely unrealistic. Her plan, which she claimed had been approved by the Health Ministry although this was later denied by the ministry, calls for students of all grades to return to classrooms without capsules, reduces quarantine to 48 hours, and minimizes closure of schools in areas with COVID outbreaks. She also expressed opposition to a proposal allowing students to be vaccinated in schools, saying that “vaccines are controversial” and schools shouldn’t be a place for “vaccination parties.”
Her plan was excoriated by Health Ministry officials, including one senior official who said that “there is no way to avoid capsules and the quarantine period cannot be shortened. Professionals around the world understand that shortening quarantine is dangerous, even more so within schools, which can turn into mass infection sites within moments.”
Likud MK Yoav Kisch slammed Sasha-Biton from the Knesset plenum on Tuesday for her request to fire Alroy-Preis.
“It’s impossible that a minister who acts against vaccines, who makes outrageous statements about the coronavirus, and denies the coronavirus sits on the coronavirus cabinet and runs the state of Israel,” Kisch said.
“Bennett, I understand that you’re too weak to fire her from the government,” Kisch said, using the opportunity to slam the prime minister as well. “If you have even a drop of integrity, a drop of concern for the state of Israel, you would dismiss her now from the coronavirus cabinet.”
‘מה אתם עושים? תגידו, אתם השתגעתם?!’ pic.twitter.com/YM2oTM0sLt
— עיתון משפחה (@Mishpacha_M) July 28, 2021
Other MKs also censured Shasha-Biton, telling Channel 12 News: “Two million students are being held captive by a COVID denier. All she cares about is making headlines. She refuses to vaccinate in the schools. Has she completely gone crazy? Bennett’s dealings with her raises doubts about his ability to run the country.”
The head of Israel’s Teachers’ Union also came out against Shasha-Biton’s plan, saying that the government “shouldn’t dig its head in the sand and act as if the coronavirus has left the world. The plan as publicized in the media does not provide basic solutions for teachers and principals during coronavirus breakouts.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
The only one talking any sense is Shasha-Biton. Please stay strong Minister!!
Finally someone with intelligence emerges – these vaccines don’t cure anything except slight symptomology and Big Pharma financial concerns. They should not be given in schools nor to children altogether. In addition, they are experimental and no compensation for damages are offered. The world has given itself over to unproven scientific lies and unproven theories, and meanwhile, the adverse effects and new variants are affected those who are vaccinated – much more than any who wisely refuse to do so. It is a cult of Melech and S’dom, and the facts are being obscured from the citizenry. School at home if you must, but don’t relent.
Meanwhile, the Bennett-Lapid government is reluctant to implement any major restrictions So long as the border remains closed to normal vaccinated Jews & only open to athletes & politicians, by definition, there are MAJOR restrictions in place.
Bring in the American doctors who have been giving ivermectin protocol at early stages with a near 100% success rate.
As soon as someone has COVID symptoms or is tested positive one should start with these successful protocols.
It’s the ego driven medical professionals who are preventing life saving medications to patients
Don’t talk to me about vaccinations! Most Israelis are vaccinated and are still getting ill.