Mt. Herzl
Mt. HerzlEitan Shreiber/TPS

Ministers discussed the opening of military cemeteries on the Memorial Day for Israel's fallen next week in light of the coronavirus crisis. The meeting Tuesday ended without a final decision, which is expected to be made later this evening.

In the meantime, the cemeteries will remain closed on Memorial Day for fear of a possible outbreak among bereaved parents and families who would come to the cemeteries to pay their respects to their loved ones.

The government is likely to call the bereaved families to the cemeteries in the coming days in a controlled manner and not on Memorial Day itself.

Police will also be stationed during Remembrance Day to ask that the families not enter the cemeteries, but police do not intend to enforce the ruling and confront the families. On Independence Day, the closure is expected to be as complete as it was on the first night of Passover.

At the same time, discussions are taking place on whether to declare itself a general closure on Independence Day in all of the State of Israel, such as the closure announced last night, with the aim of preventing large and family gatherings that will lead to mass infection with the virus.

The government is considering announcing a general closure on the nights of Ramadan in the Arab communities, in an attempt to prevent the current gatherings around the Iftar feasts from the fast.

However, both on Independence Day and on Ramadan, no final decisions have been made.