Israel

Israel Hits Daily Record Of Nearly 7,000 New Coronavirus Cases As Government Debates Tighter Restrictions

By Marcy Oster

Technicians carry out a diagnostic test for coronavirus in an Israeli lab, July 2, 2020. (Yossi Zeliger/Flash90)

(JTA) — As Israel racked up a record nearly 7,000 new coronavirus cases in one day, the government met to consider tightening restrictions, including banning synagogue prayer and public protests.

The coronavirus cabinet met Tuesday for several hours but failed to make any decisions about further restrictions to stop the spread of the deadly virus. The cabinet began meeting again on Wednesday afternoon with plans to approve new restrictions by the end of the day.

Among the decisions being weighed are the complete closure of synagogues and a ban on outdoor services, though it is not clear if it would apply also to Yom Kippur, the Kan public broadcaster reported. Also under consideration is the halting or limiting of protests in front of the prime minister’s resi-

dence in Jerusalem. Other restrictions could include limiting employees in private businesses to 50% and closing Ben Gurion Airport.

Several rabbinic leaders called for the closure of synagogues, even for Yom Kippur, to halt the spread of the virus, including Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and Rabbi David Yosef, the son of former Shas party leader and former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

Israel conducted more than 61,000 coronavirus tests on Tuesday, with the rate of those testing positive at a high of 11.3%. On the same day, the country passed a milestone of 200,000 cases of the coronavirus since the start of the pandemic. Some 634 people were listed in serious condition, including 171 on respirators.

The so-called coronavirus czar, Dr. Ronni Gamzu, has said that 800 serious patients is the upper limit that hospitals can handle, a number that Israel is expected to pass by the end of the week.

The Health Ministry on Wednesday called on hospitals to hire paramedics and more medical staff to meet the demands. ì

Jews May Not Be Able To Visit The Western Wall — But They Can Still Have Their Prayers Placed There

By Marcy Oster

Worshippers at the Western Wall pray in enclosed areas meant for 10 people at a time in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus, March 15, 2020. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

(JTA) — A visit to Israel and the Western Wall before Yom Kippur is pretty much out of the question due to coronavirus restrictions, but Jews can still have their prayers placed between the stones of the holy site.

The Jewish Agency for Israel has started a campaign to collect the prayers and messages from Jews in Israel and around the world and pledged to place them in the Kotel.

The Us Army

By Marcy Oster

An Iron Dome missile battery seen near Tel Aviv, July 15, 2018. (Ben Dori/ Flash90) (JTA) — Israel delivered the first of two Iron Dome missile defense system batteries to the U.S. Army.

The U.S. and Israel signed an agreement for the purchase of two batteries a year ago from its developer, the Haifa-based firm Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.

The batteries will be employed in

Israel’s borders have been closed to most noncitizens since early in the pandemic. The country entered a national lockdown last week hours before the start of Rosh Hashanah.

“Between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, the Western Wall and its plaza are normally packed with visitors. This year, due to restrictions, it’s not possible to come to Jerusalem and place notes with our prayers between the stones of the Western Wall, the holiest place for the Jewish people,” Isaac Herzog, the Jewish Agency’s chairman, said in a statement. “As an organization whose mission it is to strengthen global Jewry and its relationship with Israel, we thought it would be fitting to facilitate this important act for so many this high holiday

Israel Delivers First Iron Dome Defense System To

season.” ì

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the defense of U.S. troops against ballistic and aerial threats, Israel’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday in a statement.

On Wednesday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz visited Rafael’s Leshem Institute for an event marking the delivery of the first Iron Dome missile to the U.S.

In March, the Army canceled plans to purchase more of the batteries because of difficulties integrating them into its existing air defense systems.

Congress has given Israel more than $1.5 billion to produce Iron Dome batteries. In 2014, the U.S. and Israel signed a co-production agreement that would allow parts of the Iron Dome system to be produced in the United States.

Since it was deployed in 2011, Iron Dome has intercepted over 2,400 rockets fired at Israel from Gaza. Along with Iron Dome, Israel employs several other defense systems, including David’s Sling, Arrow-2 and Arrow-3. ì