Health Ministry Says Israel to Start Easing Lockdown Measures in the ‘Coming Days’

The Israeli government will begin to lift social-distancing measures over the next several days.

The Times of Israel reported Israeli Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov told Channel 13 on April 15 that the gradual easing would “likely happen in the coming days. If the Israeli public continues its excellent behavior, we’ll be able to take further steps forward.”

He added, “We’ll have to take measured steps, see that things are under control and if they stay that way, go a little bit further every time.”

The Israeli government has yet to determine specific steps going forward. According to The Jerusalem Post, the Health Ministry and Finance Ministry have differing views on this matter. The Health Ministry is hesitant to start lifting restrictions until there are only 30 to 50 new cases a day; the Finance Ministry doesn’t think the Israeli economy can handle such restrictions for much longer.

Defense Minister Naftali Bennett echoed the Finance Ministry’s statements in an April 15 statement, saying, “Continuing the closure at its current level or a slightly reduced one will cause critical harm to Israel and its citizens.”

One of the proposals being considered is to open the finance and tech sectors first, then wait until later to open industries such as malls and hotels that present a higher risk of contagion.

Israel currently has a 26.1% unemployment rate.