Rivlin celebrated Passover with daughter, seemingly against coronavirus laws

The president apparently broke the lockdown regulations and hosted his daughter's family – who had tested negative – for the Passover Seder. Avner Netanyahu is seen also attending his family's Seder.

By TAMAR URIEL-BEERI
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin talks during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus February 12, 2019. (photo credit: YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU/REUTERS)
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin talks during a press conference at the Presidential Palace in Nicosia, Cyprus February 12, 2019.
(photo credit: YIANNIS KOURTOGLOU/REUTERS)
President Reuven Rivlin apologized on Friday afternoon for celebrating the Passover Seder with his daughter, her partner and their two children against the regulations put in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"Before the Shabbat enters, I wish to apologize," Rivlin wrote on his Twitter page on Friday afternoon. "I see the harsh responses to my daughter accompanying me during the holiday and I understand most of them.
"Since Nehama passed away, my children have been assisting me a lot in my personal business, as well being my contacts in work-related needs during the holidays and weekends when my office is not staffed," he explained. "I understand that if people do not understand the agenda of a president, it is difficult to understand this and I am sorry for that."
A nationwide lockdown has been imposed upon the country since Passover Eve to prevent people from holding large Seder meals and therein potentially becoming infected and infecting others with COVID-19.
Rivlin's daughter has been staying at the President's Residence since Tuesday evening all the way through the holiday; she as well as the rest of her family tested negative for coronavirus before going to stay with her father.
The President's Residence spokespeople explained that since Rivlin's wife, Nehama, passed away, "one member of Rivlin's family has been at his side regularly so as to assist him in his personal needs and to allow him to be in contact in the framework of his position."
A similar scandal was recognized during the live Seder which played Wednesday night on Keshet's Channel 12, in which a video showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding a Seder with his family was shown. His son Avner, who is known not to live with his parents, is seen attending the holiday dinner.
Avner's older brother, Yair, does live with his parents. He has additionally made a social media account for his newly-purchased Akita puppy, which shows him playing with the dog in the lawn in the Prime Minister's Residence.