Prayer outside synagogue in Betar Illit
Prayer outside synagogue in Betar IllitFlash 90

Ahead of the Yom Kippur holiday, the Coronavirus Cabinet has convened to discuss tightening health safety restrictions and an outline for prayers and demonstrations.

According to the outline, synagogues will be closed and prayers - like demonstrations - will be allowed to take place in groups of up to twenty and up to a kilometer from one's home.

Prime Minister Netanyahu proposed at the meeting to impose a general lockdown from tomorrow until Monday, and then to convene again to decide on further action.

Blue and White ministers said at the meeting that they would not agree to restricting demonstrations unless a total closure was decided upon. "The prime minister is only interested in stopping protests - there will be no law against demonstrations alone," said officials in Benny Gantz's party.

Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel is facing a national health emergency, and that he intends to push the government to back a string of new rules clamping down on public activity during the lockdown.

The restrictions Netanyahu is expected to ask the Coronavirus Cabinet include the partial closure of Ben Gurion International Airport, limiting it to arriving flights while banning departures; the closure of synagogues, limitations on public protests, and the closure of much of the private sector economy.

In addition, the government is expected to request that recently retired physicians return to work to assist hospitals in handling coronavirus patients.