The Knesset’s Coronavirus Committee is set to convene Monday to deliberate on government orders to close gyms and public swimming pools across the country.
Last week, the cabinet voted to close gyms and pools, as part of the larger effort to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Pools operated by hotels were not included in the closure order.
Since then, however, the Coronavirus Committee has signaled it may cancel the restrictions, permitting pools and gyms to operate.
Committee chairwoman MK Yifat Shasha-Biton (Likud) told Ma’ariv that she would personally “take responsibility for the opening of pools and gyms”.
Her comments sparked an internal debate within the Likud, with Deputy Health Minister Yoav Kisch threatening to have Shasha-Biton replaced as committee chair.
“If she won’t toe the line with the government’s decisions, we’ll replace her,” Kisch said.
On Monday, Kisch blasted plans to permit pools and gyms to operate, warning it could lead to a second nationwide lockdown.
"I am telling the Coronavirus Committee: You can ask questions and you can cancel the restrictions, but if we are under lockdown in another two weeks, the responsibility [for that] will belong to those who did not allow us to stop gatherings today."
"The reason we closed the pools is that people gather waiting in line at the entrance, waiting in line for the bathrooms, waiting in line at the snack bar. Pools have a strong lobby and I applaud them for fighting. The reason pools in hotels were not closed is due to financial considerations."
Likud sources claimed that Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has given the green light to canceling the ban on opening swimming pools and gyms.