Israeli Minister of Health Yuli Edelstein finally admitted it on Wednesday July 15: “Barring a miracle, we are on our way to re-containment. “
Until then, the bloated Israeli government was tinkering with the rise in contaminations: more than a thousand new cases have been detected daily for two weeks, while the country registers 375 deaths and 43,668 contaminations. In early July, swimming pools and gyms were closed; a week later, the Knesset ordered their reopening. Same thing for public transport: a time removed after 22 hours, they were reinstated a few days later. Bars have been forced to lower the curtain, but restaurants remain open.
The Israelis are getting impatient. According to a poll released by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) on Tuesday, July 14, 75% of them are disappointed, angry or frustrated with the way the government is handling the crisis. Everything had started well for the Prime Minister, Benyamin Netanyahu. By closing the borders in mid-March, with progressive containment, the country has limited the number of contaminations and deaths.
The head of government even benefited politically from the pandemic. The opening of his corruption trial has been postponed. The health emergency allowed him to rush an agreement in May to form a government of national unity with his rival, Benny Gantz, thus ending a year and a half of political impasse. He was then in a strong position to implement one of his great campaign promises, the annexation of part of the occupied West Bank, as of this summer.
“Officials without authority”
The machine jammed during the deconfinement, which started in mid-May. Very quickly, the Israelis returned to work, the beach, restaurants and… school, one of the sources of transmission of the virus. Mr. Netanyahu himself admitted it on July 9: the restrictions were lifted ” too fast “. “We have listened to the plight of people”, he justified.
The management of the epidemic has revealed the flaws in Israeli governance: very reactive at the start of the crisis, the State is struggling to stay the course for the long haul, entangled in the heaviness of its bureaucracy.
Divisions also begin
to emerge within the government coalition
“From professionals who proactively respond to events, we have become leaders without authority, who are slow to respond”, commented one of Covid-19’s chief conductors at the Department of Health, Siegal Sadetzki, when throwing in the towel last week. His resignation illustrates the war that technocrats and politicians are waging behind the scenes in ministries. Divisions are also beginning to emerge within the government coalition.
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