JERUSALEM: Israel is preparing to ease some lockdown restrictions from Sunday in the first phase of scaling back measures imposed last month to stem soaring novel coronavirus infection rates.
“We will exit (lockdown) carefully this time, in line with the plan set out by the experts at the health ministry,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday night.
The easing of the lockdown came after police arrested several people who attacked protesters with teargas during demonstrations in cities against Mr Netanyahu.
Protests against the Prime Minister have taken place every Saturday since July, including outside his official residence in Jerusalem, where several thousand people had gathered.
The easing of the second lockdown, in force since September 18, was approved on Thursday by cabinet, contingent on new cases being no higher than 2000 per day. On Friday, there were 1695 new cases, down from 8000-9000 per day at the end of last month.
“If everyone follows the rules, I am sure that it will work,” Mr Netanyahu said.
The lifting of restrictions is to take place in several phases, through to next February. The country of about nine million people has recorded 301,896 cases, including 2141 deaths, as of data released on Friday.
The government faced widespread criticism when cases surged after the country exited an initial weeks-long lockdown earlier this year.
Read the article in The Australian (AFP).