Despite cabinet measures to resume commercial and social activities, Defense Minister Benny Gantz warned on Tuesday that the coronavirus is far from over, and the public should act responsibly when it comes to following health ministry restrictions.
“If we are not careful,” Gantz said, “we will not be celebrating Layl Ha-seder [the Passover eve feast] together.”
Last week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview to Fox News that COVID-19 is “behind us.”
Gantz was touring the Home Front Command’s Alon Command Center in Ramle on Tuesday. During the visit, the defense minister held assessment meetings with Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, Home Front Command head Maj.-Gen. Uri Gordin and the incoming Alon Command Center chief Col. Reli Margalit.
In a statement that seemed like a response to Netanyahu’s remark, Gantz said that the activity of the Alon Command Center “will continue for a long period of time… The battle against corona is not over. There can be no end [of corona] celebrations. There is still more hard and thorough work to do, so we can actually go into a real corona-free routine life,” he said.
Gantz added that “there are still the issues of restoring the education system and returning school days [to the students]. The Home Front Command has prepared a comprehensive plan to provide assistance to the education system, and we will act to return school days to the youth and the children in Israel while compensating the teachers.
“I am sure that the teachers of Israel will join this national and social important effort,” Gantz said.