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While they continue to publicly pledge support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, top ultra-Orthodox party officials are reportedly saying in closed meetings that the premier should “let go” of his attempts to cling on to power.
According to ultra-Orthodox news site Behadrei Haredim, the officials believe the only way to solve the current political deadlock is to appoint a new leader for the Likud party and form a right-wing government with the Yamina and New Hope parties. The latter party has ruled out joining a Netanyahu government, but doesn’t boycott Likud as a party. I m proud to work at The Times of Israel
People wearing costumes in Jerusalem on February 24, 2021. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
1. Party poopers: Israel is preparing Thursday to head back under curfew over fears that Purim holiday celebrations could turn into a superspreader event, but the horse may have already left the barn.
Several news outlets report on street parties in Tel Aviv the evening before, including footage showing large crowds of revelers. “Hundreds of youths were seen at street parties in several places including Kerem Hateimanim, the Carmel Market and Dizengoff Square, dancing and cavorting without masks or any adherence to social distance guidelines,” an outraged Channel 12 news reports.
The channel quotes the owner of a bar saying he did nothing wrong. “We sold alcohol as takeout, which is allowed. The police came and asked us to close everything, claiming that we were responsible for the crowd.”
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United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (right) in the Knesset on November 24, 2015. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90/File)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday condemned violent pushback in the ultra-Orthodox community against the lockdown rules, while quietly moving to soften a bill that would have doubled fines against violators to appease his Haredi political allies.
The emerging political compromise on the financial penalties was met with an ultimatum by Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who warned he would prevent the government’s lockdown rules from being brought to a Knesset vote unless the fines were doubled.
Leading rabbi at Jerusalem yeshiva hospitalized with COVID-19 - Haredi Community israelnationalnews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from israelnationalnews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
People walk in Jerusalem on December 16, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
1. Lock till you pop: Israel’s stumbling path toward a third lockdown is high on the media agenda Thursday morning, with infections piling up like presents beneath the Hanukkah bush.
“Between vaccines and a lockdown,” reads the top front page headline of Yedioth Ahronoth. “Vaccine storage is filling up, but in the meantime the virus is rearing up and Israel is in a race against time,” the paper continues.
It’s not much of a race, Prof. Eli Waxman, who advises the government’s pandemic advisory team, tells Army Radio: “We need to take steps immediately. Until the population is vaccinated to a wide enough degree, it will take a long time. The current outbreak needs to be stopped some other way.”