Malls open on Friday morning as Israelis line up for Black Friday sales
Nine additional malls opened as new coronavirus cases were over 1000 for the second day in a row.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFMalls open for Black Friday in several cities across Israel, November 27, 2020(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
Israelis hit the malls early on Friday morning in a bid to find the best Black Friday sales, after a government announcement additional malls would be opening Thursday night.The Finance Ministry and the Economy Ministry announced nine additional malls to open on Friday morning as a part of the government's pilot to reopen malls, adding to the six which have already been announced.The activity of the malls will be tested over 10 days, after which it will be decided when and how all the malls around the country will operate.Long lines formed as Israelis look to find Black Friday bargains, November 27, 2020 (Credit: Avshalom Sassoni/Maariv)
In a lottery held on Thurday night, nine more malls were selected to participate in the pilot: Big Fashion Beit Shemesh; Center 1 Jerusalem; Arad Mall, Em Haderech on route 4; Seven Stars Mall Herzliya; Sharonim Mall in Hod Hasharon; Lev Hamifratz, Haifa; Arena Nahariya; and Nof Hagalil Mall.The malls which were announced earlier in the week were Azrieli Ayalon in Tel Aviv, Azrieli Haifa, Azrieli Jerusalem, Ofer Grand Mall in Petah Tikva, Ofer Grand Canyon Mall Beersheba and Ofer Kiryon in Kiryat Bialik.Malls have generally been shut since Israel first entered lockdown at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic in March.The additional openings come as coronavirus numbers rose in Israel for the second day in a row. There were 1,072 new coronavirus cases in Israel on Thursday the Health Ministry announced Friday morning. This follows 1,069 new cases on Wednesday.The ministry also announced they conducted 53,667 tests on Thursday - around 2% of tests returned a positive result. Some 275 of current patients are in serious condition, with 117 intubated. The death toll is 2,834.Malls have generally been shut since Israel first entered lockdown in March so shoppers took advantage of their reopening, November 27, 2020 (Credit: Avshalom Sassoni/Maariv)
Health Minister Yuli Edelstein instructed Health Ministry director-general Prof. Hezi Levy and coronavirus commissioner Nachman Ash to hold a professional discussion on Saturday night regarding an outline of the opening on malls.
The discussion came in light of the significant crowding in malls in addition to rising coronavirus morbidity rates. Prof. Nachman and Prof. Levy will lay their conclusions on Edelstein's desk by the end of the next week, followed by Edelstein will formulate his position on the outline.
