Naftali Bennett
Naftali BennettOlivier Fitoussi/Flash90

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Saturday night responded to the downward trend in the number of seriously ill coronavirus patients.

In a statement, Bennett expressed satisfaction at the rise in the number of people getting vaccinated against coronavirus and the signs that the pandemic is subsiding.

"This is without us implementing a lockdown or far-reaching restrictions on the public," the statement noted. At the same time, Bennett emphasized that it is still too early to celebrate, since Israel is still investing enormous efforts into fighting the pandemic.

"We are at a critical stage, with the reopening of the educational system and our intention to end the mass quarantines and move to a model of extensive testing and quarantine only for those who test positive.

"Especially now, we must be strict about the Green Pass, be careful, and not to become complacent. I call on all those who have not yet been vaccinated as required - do it as soon as possible! The vaccine saves lives, and the depth of the country's vaccination allows it to remain open and functioning."