MK Merav Michaeli (Labor-Meretz) vowed on Thursday that Israel “will not become a police state” and that “it is not acceptable to arrest law abiding protesters.”
Michaeli responded to police arresting protesters who attempted to demonstrate in front of the Knesset on Thursday against the recent decision by Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein to close it.
Police handed out fines claiming that the 200 people gathered are in violation of the Health Ministry guidelines to only allow groups of ten in public spaces.
Police spokesperson rejected the allegation the arrests were motivated by political motives and said that “no one is above the law or the Order of Public Health issued by the Health Ministry.”
The Order of Public Health allows police to arrest Israelis who violate quarantine orders and for Shin Bet to monitor the electroniccommunication of Israelis.On Wednesday, some Israelis got text messages informing them they were in close contact with someone who was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus and are instructed to stay home in self-imposed quarantine.