The government's coronavirus cabinet is due to convene this morning in order to reach a number of decisions regarding resumption of studies in elementary schools and the further reopening of the economy.
Tensions are already high in advance of the meeting, with Finance Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) sharply attacking the Health Ministry. "We need to allow high street stores to reopen right now already - they're on the brink of total disaster. The Health Ministry is totally disconnected from reality. There's just no way of getting through to them."
Katz added that, "It's time we put an end to these debates that are being waged at the expense of small businesses. People who built up businesses with their own two hands are being deprived of everything - if things go on like this any longer, it's going to be that much harder for them to get back on their feet. And it's simply ridiculous the way things are being done. The beauticians are now allowed to reopen without any requirement to wear face masks but high street stores - where conditions are so much safer - have remained shuttered. Do they really want to push 80 thousand people under the poverty line? We have effectively made small businesses the public enemy, simply because they don't have a strong lobby promoting their cause. I won't give up on this fight - I'm going to do everything I can for them, to enable them to reopen their stores right away."