This latest lockdown felt like “groundhog day”. It was particularly difficult on small businesses and children who once again could not go to school. However, it is quite obvious that it has been a success as the number of positive tests has quickly fallen from the high of 15% to around 5% and it is thought that the R rate is now 0.8. The deaths stand at 2,121 with 730 people in serious condition. The rates must remain at less than 2,000 per day per 30,000 tests to commence the exit from lockdown. 

 

The cabinet has agreed to ease restrictions from Sunday at midnight and we will be allowed to travel further than the 1 kilometre that was imposed for the last 4 weeks. Small businesses that do not see customers face to face will be allowed to open and pre-schools will open. Many cities are planning on testing the teachers before they go back to work as it is has transpired via anti body tests that children had many more cases than originally estimated.

 

After the first lockdown Israel was hailed as an example to the world but quickly fell from grace with its hasty re-opening and the outrageous behaviour of her citizens. Now that damaging  second and even third lockdowns are a reality and not an empty threat it is hoped that everyone will wear masks and not gather in large groups so we can limp forward to a promised vaccine without further lockdowns. 

 

The EU has reserved 400 million vaccines from the UK-Swiss company Astra Zeneca and Germany has agreed that Israel will be included in the distribution. It is not often the EU is agreeable to Israel but Germany is a now a firm friend to Israel. 

 

Parts of society (an extremist minority of  Haredim) are still refusing to respect the guidelines and a very ugly event unfolded at a court yard wedding hosting around 60 people, (the limit is 20 outdoors and 10 indoors) just north of Jerusalem. The police claim they were attacked by the guests and both police and guests ended up bloodied spoiling the wedding for the couple and leaving a bad taste in everyone’s mouth. 

 

It would be helpful if ministers followed the guidelines. It has come to light that the Environmental Protection Minister travelled to her husband’s family to share Yom Kippur and then tested positive. The Religious Affairs Minister officiated at wedding in violation of guidelines. There is now a long list of ministers who defy their own rules ! As they say “The Fish rots from the Head Down” and it is time for the leaders to lead by example and then maybe the people will fall in line. 

 

A failure by the government after the last lock down to put strict enforcement measures in place in July and August directly led to this second lockdown. Now the Police are acting decisively against people who break the rules. In the last week nearly 32,000 tickets were issued.

 

Israelis will start to respect the rules once the police crackdown but the Police must balance trust and a sense of reasonableness. Generally our police are not brutal and we want co-operation and a contract between the public and law and order, not fear and resentment. 

 

As we slowly come out of the lockdown there is an opportunity for the government to try to win back the trust of people and handle what is a very delicate and difficult situation. Israel is not like other countries and the government must appeal to the people and balance deeply held religious ideologies with science and pass difficult laws within a deeply divided cabinet without dividing the country further. 

 

We already have a huge group of people protesting against the government and the last thing we need now is for the Haredim to go out on the streets and protest. 

 

Roche Diagnostics have announced that they are launching an 18 minute test and it is hoped it will be rolled out before the flu season. There are still insufficient flu shots at the moment in surgeries and everyone is recommended to get the shot as apparently COVID-19 together with the flu is highly dangerous.

 

Ben Gurion airport will re-open on Sunday and Israeli’s may leave the country. Citizens and those with special permission will be allowed to enter and go straight to isolation if they arrive from a Red country. The UK has just been added to the Red list from next week. 

 

Tourists are still forbidden and hotels and zimmers are not on the list for opening in stage 1 and it is thought it may be as long as December 10th before they will be re-opened depending on infection numbers. 

 

The scorching heat of the summer is now fading and the days are much more comfortable. The re-opening of parks and beaches next week will be a very welcome relief after such a restrictive holiday period. 

 

The first cargo flight arrived this week from UAE. The normalisation treaty was passed in the Knesset by a large majority.  Israel is still hopeful that Saudi Arabia will join the push for regional peace.  Jordan and Saudi have joined in a two pronged attack on the PA and Hamas in effort to bring them to the negotiating table with Israel. Jordan’s message is getting tougher : Negotiate with Israel or face consequences that may reduce the Palestinian’s strive for an independent state to the footnotes of history.  Sudan wishes to accelerate normalisation with Israel. 

Israel approves 2,100 new homes in disputed areas, the first since the Annexation plans were put on hold. 

 

Shabbat Shalom