COVID-19: Gov’t fights over airport amid warnings of ‘election fever’

Government officials started to fight over the outline to reopen Ben Gurion International Airport on Tuesday, ahead of a cabinet meeting devoted to the topic.

Health Ministry officials reportedly opposed the plan prepared by Transportation Minister Miri Regev, a few hours after Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy said that the cabinet discussions were plagued with “election fever.”

The current restrictions – in place until Saturday – prevent Israelis from leaving or entering the country unless they receive special permission from the appointed governmental exemptions committee.

As reported by channel 12, the outline conceived by Regev would initially select some destinations – New York, Paris, Frankfurt and Kiev – where Israelis who are vaccinated or recovered from the virus would be allowed to fly without a permission from the committee, starting from Sunday.

Those who are not, including children, would still need to receive approval.

Moreover, up to 3,000 people could enter the country every day without a permission, so that Israelis abroad who wish to vote in the upcoming March 23 elections can do so.

According to the report, health officials requested to wait until after the holiday of Passover, before allowing those eligible to the green passport to leave the country freely.

The coronavirus cabinet was set to convene on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the reopening of the borders a day after the government confirmed that the third phase of the exit strategy from the lockdown – the opening of restaurants and event halls – will begin on Sunday as planned.

“Everyone feels that these discussions are affected by election fever and impacted by it,” Levy said in an interview with Radio 103FM. “There is no question that the ministers come to advance their own interests and the interests of their ministries and that politics also play a role.”  

During the meeting on Monday, Netanyahu reportedly expressed concern that if the government decides to allow Israelis to enter the country to vote, many “hitchhikers” will try to enter and therefore potentially spread the coronavirus.

On the other hand, Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata told the ministers that the upcoming election was not the only reason to allow Israelis into the country and that “basic rights were being undermined with many Israelis becoming refugees in countries against their will,” –

Also on Tuesday, the R rate – or reproduction rate – stood at 0.97, marking a decrease after several days on the rise.

However, health ministry officials, including coronavirus commissioner Prof. Nachman Ash, expressed concern over the cabinet’s decision of moving forward with the plan to lift restrictions with the R rate increasing.

Some 4,624 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported in Israel on Monday, with 5.2% of tests returning positive, according to a Tuesday morning update by the Health Ministry.

Of all those infected, 729 patients were in serious condition and 234 were on ventilators. The death toll rose overnight to 5,779.

At the same time, over 4.7 million Israelis have received at least the first dose of the vaccine, including 3.4 million who have received the second dose.

Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.

The cabinet discussions on the reopening of Ben Gurion International Airport are plagued with “election fever,” Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy said on Tuesday. The coronavirus cabinet will convene on Tuesday afternoon to discuss a plan to reopen the skies, a day after the government confirmed that the third phase of the exit strategy from the lockdown – the opening of restaurants and event halls – will begin on Sunday as planned.”Everyone feels that these discussions are affected by election fever and impacted by it,” Levy said in an interview with Radio 103FM. “There is no question that the ministers come to advance their own interests and the interests of their ministries and that politics also play a role.” It was a strong warning from one of Israel’s top health officials.