Kipa Hebrew news sites reported that Defense Minister Bennett argued that immediately after Independence Day, most of the education system (daycare centers, kindergartens, and elementary schools) and businesses in Israel (excluding entertainment and sports events) should be re-opened, while maintaining rules of distancing, increasing testing, and protecting nursing homes and the elderly population.
Bennett specifically mentioned hair salons, cosmetics shops, shopping malls, and home service stores as industries that would return to business as usual but said that movie theaters, sporting contests, and large events would remain closed. He said weddings other ceremonies would be able to contain a maximum of 50 individuals.
In addition, precaution would also have to be maintained to ensure that the hospitals are at no time overwhelmed by patients requiring ventilators.
In the second stage of re-launching the economy, which Bennett suggested should come after May 10, additional relief measures would be implemented including weddings and events of up to 100 individuals.
Regarding his meeting with the prime minister last night, the defense minister said, "It was fine. I cannot divulge what was said at the moment. For us, to join the government, we would have to agree with its [ideological] path and be an influential part of it. We lost seats in the last elections and this doesn’t make us happy, but if these two things don't happen, there's no reason to be a part of it."
With regards to applying Israeli sovereignty to Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley, he said: "Sovereignty will be applied regardless of our presence in the coalition."
Bennett was critical of the influence given to the Judiciary Committee. He said that "[Likud and Blue and White] have veto power when it comes to Supreme Court appointments. [Blue and White MK Avi] Nissenkorn's leftist appointees can be overturned. When it comes to appointing other judges, there [only] needs to be a 9-5 majority and he will be able to appoint whomever he feels like. We will lose Ayelet Shaked's [judicial] revolution."
Prior to making his statement on re-opening the economy, Bennett said that "one million Israeli citizens have lost their jobs in the past month. Many more will follow suit. The continued lockdown approach of the Health Ministry is devastating for the future of the State of Israel. There is another way. Responsible but determined."