Defense Minister Benny Gantz (Blue and White) on Tuesday morning held a meeting with representatives from the culture, aviation, food, event, and tourism industries, as well as with representatives of Israel's self-employed community.
The meeting aimed to help create an economic plan to help the participants' industries survive the coronavirus crisis.
Participating in the meeting were Culture and Sport Minister Hili Tropper (Blue and White), Tourism Minister Asaf Zamir (Blue and White), Labor and Welfare Minister Itzik Shmuli (Labor), actress Nelly Tagar, Israel Hotels Union Chairman Amir Heik, Habima CEO Noam Samal, and others.
"I am meeting you with mixed feelings, during a complex time, and in a complex situation," Gantz said. "But we meet with one goal, and that is to find the best solution for you. We will not allow you to fall, and we will not deal with anything [else] until we have ensured your livelihood."
"We made difficult but correct decisions yesterday, and I cannot promise that they will be the last. They influence you and we are here to hear and to understand together what it means for you. I am meeting you today so that together we can form security nets which will ensure your future and our future."
Zamir added: "In addition to the medical decisions, we need to make economic decisions regarding how exactly the compensation system works for you, and we are here to listen to you."
"The pain is great, and the distress is real," Tropper said. "We are committed to working with all our might, in every way possible, in order to help those in the culture and arts, and in general the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who lost their livelihoods. I leave this meeting with a deep commitment to [finding a] solution and to you."
"The businesses and industries which were hit hard by the restrictions need a lifeline, not a rope to hang themselves with," Shmuli said. "The equation must be clear, and it will be: If we close - we compensate, without delay. After we insisted on this in a government meeting, the plan for compensation must be generous and quick, in order to ensure that no Israeli - self-employed or employee, or anyone else - will be left behind."