Israel is reportedly imposing a nationwide lockdown on Erev Pesach, which falls out on Wednesday this year. The curfew will go into effect beginning on Tuesday at 4 p.m. and will continue until early morning on Friday.

Knesset MKs are set to have a virtual meeting on Monday night during which they will reportedly approve the emergency regulations.

The lockdown will ban all travel between cities and curtail movement within cities, only allowing residents to go to grocery stores or pharmacies closest to their homes.

The move comes after many government officials have expressed fears that the Seder night will be a repeat of Purim, when many people became infected from the coronavirus due to gatherings and family get-togethers.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said on Channel 12 News: “We were considering a curfew weeks ago but we didn’t want to paralyze the country. On Pesach, offices are closed and no one is working. We don’t want people visiting family, especially on Seder night. As heartrending as it is, this year the Seder must be held only with the nuclear family.”

Deri explained that once the lockdown begins, cars on the road will be stopped by police and be asked to explain where they’re going. “On the night of Pesach, no one is shopping or going to work. Drivers will have to explain where they’re going to the police.”

Israel Police will set up checkpoints at the exits and entrances to cities and conduct spot checks on the highways, focusing on cars with more than two passengers or large family vehicles. Another news report said that Israel Police already began stopping intracity buses and asking passengers where they were going and why.

Earlier on Monday, news reports said that a meeting of MKs was scheduled during which regulations would be approved to impose a closure of eight cities and 15 neighborhoods in Jerusalem that have high rates of coronavirus cases. However, the meeting was canceled and it seems that the nationwide lockdown will replace the plan to lock down specific cities and neighborhoods.

The cities that were expected to be put into lockdown were Tiverya, Elad, Beit Illit, Migdal HaEmek, Ashkelon, Ohr Yehuda, Modiin Illit, and some neighborhoods in Beit Shemesh.

The neighborhoods in Jerusalem that were expected to be closed off were Har Nof, Bayit Vegan, Geulah, Mea Shearim, Zichron Moshe, Makor Baruch, Givat Shaul, Givat Mordechai, Ramat Shlomo, Sanhedria, Shmuel Hanavi, Beit Yisrael, Bucharim, Ramot and Kiryat Moshe.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)