Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that he may have to enforce Health Ministry instructions regarding coronavirus if they are not respected.
"We are in a better situation right now than most countries in the world and we must make sure it continues this way. Today we have given clear guidelines on what we expect from people - to go out to but only essential things like food supply. I prefer that these guidelines remain on the level of understanding and internalization by the public," Netanyahu said in an interview with Channel 12 News.
He added, "Tonight I will appeal to communities that have not yet internalized the guidelines - such as the part of the haredi and Arab communities. If the guidelines are not internalized then I will not hesitate to enforce them by order. I see tough phenomena of weddings, event halls. The Health Minister has now issued widespread orders to the haredi community and closed the yeshivas. I will also appeal to the Arab public. It's a matter of saving lives."
"If need be, the order will be ready tomorrow. Full closure is not recommended because it will lead to an immediate collapse of the Israeli economy. What they are talking about is turning the guidelines issued yesterday into an order - and I sought to prepare the order. So far, we have done all the things that have led to the state Israel being between the three and four countries in the best state in the world - but this is not a big vacation. We preceded the whole world in closing borders, in extensive home isolation, in congregation restriction, in the use of a digital tool which was now activated.
When asked about the amount of coronavirus testing in Israel, Netanyahu said: "I called some friends around the world. Everyone is working to bring the materials and we will have them. I have to say that other countries are also praising our policy to this day. The US chief scientist is praising our policy. We have received the biggest compliment from other countries that adopt our actions. New Zealand's prime minister, for example."
"I asked that by Sunday we would have 3000 tests. By this Sunday. By next Sunday I asked that we get 5000 tests, and the following Sunday I instructed that we should reach 10,000 tests. I believe they will meet the goals. Every day you have to do these tests, but you can't do them for the entire population, there's no place in the world where they do it that way."