Ladies and gentlemen, if you live in the State of Israel, please start your engines and get your sport shoes on. You have only two more shopping days left in which to get your food supplies in order before the government gently, politely forces you back under lock and key.
Next week’s holiday season is once again to be marred by lockdowns, curfews and the inability to go to the store in case you forgot any last-minute items, the same as it was in the recently-ended Passover holiday.
The decision was approved Wednesday by the Cabinet at its conference call meeting as part of the emergency regulations package for Remembrance (Memorial) Day, Yom Ha’Atzma’ut (Independence Day) and the holy Islamic month of Ramadan for Muslim Israelis, again all with the intent to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Here’s the lowdown on all of them.
Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars and Victims of Terrorism:
* It will be permitted to leave one’s home in order to visit the graves of IDF fallen, victims of terrorism, and memorial sites from today (Wednesday, 22 April 2020) until the eve of Remembrance Day (Monday, 27 April 2020), at 16:00.
* The regulations for the eve of Remembrance Day and Remembrance Day (starting at 16:00 on Monday, 27 April 2020), will not permit leaving one’s home in order to visit cemeteries and memorial sites.
Independence Day:
* From 17:00 on Tuesday, 28 April 2020 until 20:00 on Wednesday, 29 April 2020, people may leave their homes only to buy medicine and essential products and to receive essential services within their communities of residence, or within the closest adjacent community should these be unobtainable in their communities of residence.
* There will be no public transportation during this period.
The Health Ministry reiterates that citizens must celebrate Independence Day in their homes.
The purchase of food on the eve of Independence Day and on Independence Day itself will not be permitted.
People may leave their homes for fresh air and exercise adjacent to their homes (subject to regulations), as per the procedures that applied on the first night of Passover.
Ramadan:
From Thursday, 23 April 2020, until Sunday, 3 May 2020, in communities the majority of whose residents are Muslim, as well as in certain areas in Jerusalem, it has been decided that businesses and stores that receive the public will not open from 18:00-03:00, except for pharmacies. Businesses will be able to provide delivery service only.
Additional emergency regulations:
* Leaving one’s home for work interviews shall also be permitted.
* Weddings may be held in open areas with the attendance of up to 19 people, while maintaining a distance of two meters between people.
The Health Ministry called on residents to adhere to the decisions that have been made and act accordingly, in order to safeguard families’ health and to prevent the spread of the virus in the public sphere.
