Update: The government decided this week against going ahead with the change from winter time to summer time, mainly because there were too many complications involved in dealing with the digital presets of the servers and other computers and equipment that were already set up for the change to a summer clock to take place overnight between this coming Thursday and Friday.
As a result, at 2:00 am Friday morning, clocks will move forward by one hour, and be set to 3:00 am in Israel, for summer time.
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Israel’s Health Ministry had been considering a delay in the change to summer time in the State of Israel, reportedly in order to help stop people from violating quarantines and lockdown curfews.
Under normal circumstances, Israel was to have changed its clocks on Friday, March 27 at 2:00 am, moving the clock one hour ahead to 3:00 am local time. The change provides Israeli farmers with one extra hour of light towards evening, creating a longer day for agricultural production.
However, Israel’s Health Ministry was contemplating a delay in that move in order to enforce the country’s quarantine to fight the COVID-19 coronavirus.
“We are considering extending daylight saving time,” said Health Minister Yaakov Litzman, speaking in an interview with Channel 12 television news.
Interior Minister Arye Deri was reportedly in the process of implementing the change, which must take place before next Thursday night, if it is to be done at all.
Unconfirmed reports said the clocks would be changed on Friday, May 1 at 2:00 am instead, if the country goes ahead with the extension.