Five reasons why Israel’s new PM passed his first COVID-19 test – ANALYSIS

Bennett became so focused on the coronavirus last year that he wrote a book on the subject and published several papers. However, some of his strategies were never implemented while sitting in the opposition. And, if they were, he didn’t get credit for them.

Now, two weeks after he was sworn in as Prime Minister, his first COVID-19 test has been conducted.

Then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was accused of mixing politics and the pandemic with the aim of personal gain.

1 – less jitter, more transparency

It appears that Bennett is doing his best to keep calm and inform the public of his thoughts and plans for dealing with the virus.

“There’s no need to panic,” he said in a speech Tuesday night at Ben-Gurion airport.

It was a different kind of talk than the first conversation Netanyahu gave at the start of the crisis. Netanyahu immediately alerted citizens that 5,000 of them were about to die of COVID – scaring and paralyzing the public.

Instead, Bennett said: “Our goal is to cut off”. [the outbreak]. Take a bucket of water and throw it on the fire, until the fire is small.”

In addition, he promised to be “very transparent with you, the Israeli people, because you deserve to know everything.”

Then he re-installed the coronavirus cabinet and brought together top health officials to create an action plan, which was shared Wednesday evening, so as not to surprise you, so you can know – if the outbreak reaches a certain level. has been reached – what will happen.”

Israelis still remember staying up late, glued to their radios and TVs the night before a possible lockdown or school closing or opening, while the previous government ignored its policies.

Bennett offered the public a true account of the country’s vaccine list – something Netanyahu never wanted to do, not even with his own government or the Knesset.

“The vaccines we have will be mostly finished by the end of July,” the prime minister explained. “This means that in order to complete the two doses, the first vaccine needs to be received by July 9. We have enough stock for everyone – but for those who are not vaccinated by July 9, we have the latter. There will be no vaccine.”

2 – Strict stand on the airport

While his administration made a rule that people could not travel to countries with high infections without special permission – and returnees had to enter isolation – there was no one to supervise entry and exit and no restrictions. was imposed.

The separation was never really monitored and only a few fines were imposed.

But Bennett seems to have an intolerable policy for variants penetrating through the country’s borders.

He expanded testing capabilities – and hopes to build another test complex – by fines and closed dangerous loopholes established in the regulations.

“Every person entering Israel will be inspected at the airport, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, Israeli or foreign,” Horowitz said.

Those breaking the separation will be fined NIS 5,000 and it is expected that there will be a fine of thousands of shekels for anyone traveling to the dangerous country.

3 – Masking

Bennett has maintained a policy of masking rather than closing since September 2020 – if everyone wears a mask, Israel can defeat the coronavirus in five to six weeks, he then claimed.

“Masking is one of those things that requires very little cost to us, but can produce great results,” said Dr. Sharon Alroy-Preis, the head of the public health service.

Bennett outlined the requirement to wear masks in airports and medical facilities, and then set a policy that if an average of 100 people were infected per day for a week, the obligation to wear masks in all enclosed spaces would apply.

4 – personal example

Meanwhile, Bennett only “recommended” that people wear masks in other closed spaces. On the other hand, he “instructed” government ministers and public leaders to wear masks – requiring them to adhere to a higher standard.

In previous administrations, officials were often held to low standards.

During the 2020 Passover Seders, when citizens were asked to celebrate the holiday in their homes and with their single families, Netanyahu invited his son over for dinner, and Yoav Gallant, Avigdor Lieberman and Neer Barkat all Got caught with his own infraction.

Gila Gamaliel was also caught breaking the rules on Yom Kippur.

5 – a specialist cabinet

The Coronavirus Cabinet on Wednesday resumed its activities with representation from all sectors directly affected by COVID-19.

The cabinet includes not only Bennett, Gantz, Alternative Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and Justice Minister Gideon Saar, but also Horowitz, Public Security Minister Omar Bar Lev, Economy Minister Orna Barbiev, Interior Minister Eylet Sheik, Education Minister Yifat Shasha. -Bitton, Minister of Works and Housing Zeev Elkin and Minister of Religious Services Matan Kahana.

He also invited suitable experts from the tourism and travel industries as well as the police and medical fields.

“No one suspects he is acting for personal reasons,” the head of a hospital told the Post.

“They had good, open discussions aimed at arriving at established decisions,” said a health expert involved in Bennett’s Wednesday night meeting on COVID. “He understands that it is important to suppress the present” [outbreak] immediately, and wants to take appropriate action for the same.

“So far, he looks fine to me,” said the professional. “Now, let’s see the implementation.”