Former Defense Minister and Yamina Chairman Naftali Bennett welcomed the appointment of Professor Gabi Barbash to lead the government's efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
"We are not in a normal situation but in a war," Bennett told Radio 103FM. "And during a war, you can't rely on normal procedures.
"We are seeing a positive trend. There has been a dramatic moderation in the spread of the infection. If there is no change we will see the beginning of a decrease in the number of daily infections within a week."
Bennett added that the government would have the responsibility of ensuring there are no further outbreaks after the current wave is brought under control.