Bnei Brak’s haredi community gets message – city streets almost emptyThe vast majority of the ultra-Orthodox city’s residents have internalized the life-threatening danger of the coronavirus. April 2, 2020
IDF chief of staff tests negative for coronavirusIDF Chief-of-Staff Kohavi had quarantined himself in his office after a senior officer he met with found to be infected, two other top commanders still quarantined. April 2, 2020
Israel death toll climbs to 32 with 6,211 confirmed infectionsHealth Minister Yaakov Litzman tests positive for coronavirus, top health ministry officials immediately quarantine themselves but keep working. April 2, 2020
Israel health minister tests positive for Covid-19, deputy enters quarantineLitzman will enter isolation after testing positive. The Health Ministry's Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov will also go into isolation as a precaution. April 2, 2020
Netanyahu: Bnei Brak on special lockdown, everyone must wear masks'Israel must take the hard steps sooner, rather than later,' the Israeli prime minister said during a live address on Wednesday night during which he announced special stipends for children and seniors. April 1, 2020
Netanyahu plugs quarantine hole at Ben Gurion, all arrivals ordered to special facilitiesNetanyahu orders everyone arriving from abroad to be taken to quarantine hotels after TV report showed hundreds of travelers simply walked out of the airport. April 1, 2020
Israel’s unemployment soars to over 1 million – one quarter of workforceOne in every four Israelis unemployed, economic crisis caused by worldwide pandemic worsens as government tries to implement $23 billion rescue plan. April 1, 2020
‘Bnei Brak like Italy’: Israel’s Health Minister calls for full quarantineIn Bnei Brak, one out of three people tested for the virus is infected. Residents of nearby Ramat Gan demand action and a full lockdown. April 1, 2020
‘Israel’s High Court has long ago taken over the discretion of the executive power’Yuli Edelstein, having recently become the first Knesset Speaker in history to resign, says he's learned to stand up for his principles, even if it comes at a price. April 1, 2020
Israel coalition talks stuck as sides squabble over appointmentsPolitical parties fighting over who gets what might force a bloated 30-member cabinet in a unity government with one in every four Knesset members a minister. April 1, 2020
Ramat Gan residents pester mayor for separation wall around Bnei BrakBnei Brak has the highest coronavirus cases per capita with a rate of roughly 2.5 persons per 1,000. April 1, 2020
Quarantine lapse at Ben Gurion Airport sends 100s into Israel without supervisionNetanyahu orders tighter oversight as hundreds of landing passengers leave after mere promise that they will self-isolate at home. April 1, 2020
Islamic Waqf uses Covid-19 as cover to dig under Temple MountThe illegal digs are aimed at “destroying Jewish artifacts and history” a Jewish group said. April 1, 2020
Israel opens hearts (and pockets) for twin 4-year-old orphansOver NIS 1.5 million has been donated in the last day to help the family of Tamar Peretz-Levi, Israel’s youngest pandemic victim so far. April 1, 2020
Israel coronavirus death toll jumps to 21, cases spike to nearly 5,600Almost 100 hospitalized in serious condition, slight optimism over no increase in ventilator need tempered by fears Passover holiday might spark renewed surge of infection. April 1, 2020
Tel Aviv city hall lights up in solidarity with AmericaAs coronavirus infections soar in both countries, Tel Aviv City Hall was lit up with the American flag 'in solidarity with the American people.' March 31, 2020
Health Minister calls for curfew on ultra-orthodox city with serious outbreakHead of ultra-orthodox party Rabbi Yaakov Litzman calls for total curfew on Bnei Brak to try and stem massive infection rate in mostly religious city. March 31, 2020
Health Ministry asks all Israelis to wear masks, America may follow suitMinistry of Health tells Israelis to wear masks out of the house to fight coronavirus spread. CDC appears on verge of same message for America. March 31, 2020
Ramon airport to serve as desert ‘parking lot’ for foreign airlinesThe Israel Airports Authority has promised cheaper rates in comparison to Europe. Two companies are expected to start storing their aircraft next week. March 31, 2020
IDF chief of staff enters quarantineKochavi enters quarantine a day after the prime minister also went into self-isolation. March 31, 2020
Western Wall prayer notes removed, stones sanitized to protect worshipersRabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, rabbi of the Western Wall and Israel's other holy sites, supervised the removal to make sure it was done properly using gloves and disposable wooden tools. March 31, 2020
Top Israel health official fears coronavirus surge during Passover'Today, we are paying the price of Purim's events, and we're concerned that Passover will bring more significant events,' said Health Ministry Director-General Moshe Bar Siman Tov. March 31, 2020
Israeli corona patient jumps from hospital windowMan who was hospitalized a week ago with coronavirus leaps from window after showing signs of stress. Government urged to establish psychiatric committee as pandemic stress mounts. March 31, 2020
Getting a refund for canceled flights may be harder than you thinkIn defiance of Israeli law, some airlines are only offering future credit for flights instead of paying customers back within 21 days. March 31, 2020
Israel’s 17th and youngest COVID-19 victim, 49, mother of twins, had struggled to conceiveA 49 year-old mother of young twins latest victim as number of infected Israelis leaps to 4,831 and police crack down on closure violators. March 31, 2020
IDF begins patrolling Israel’s streets to enforce corona rulesEach soldier will operate paired with a police officer and will wear a badge with Israel's flag on it. Only commanders will carry weapons. March 31, 2020
Israel imposes severe new restrictions, announces $23B aid packageNetanyahu tells nation 'there is no choice,' putting restrictions in place that ban almost all meetings outside of immediate family. March 30, 2020
Right-wing party threatens to topple new gov’t’ if abandoned by NetanyahuThe right-wing faction, which currently holds three ministries, criticized Netanyahu 'for not even considering Yamina for a major portfolio.' March 30, 2020
Netanyahu goes into quarantine after aide falls ill from coronaPrime Minister Netanyahu entered quarantine until the end of a study. He is also being retested. March 30, 2020
Harvard expert: Israel’s dilemma – imperil economy or risk higher death tollLeading economist says total shutdown may save 'several hundred' lives, but cripple Israel economically. March 30, 2020
Israel schedules two more rescue flights for Australia and New ZealandThe flights to repatriate Israelis follow others to Africa, Peru and Thailand. March 30, 2020
Race for ventilators: Israel seeks 5,000 for worst-case scenarioThe number of ventilated patients is expected to rise drastically. The Health Ministry fears an Italy-like scenario. March 30, 2020
‘Save us’: Israeli airlines plead to government for helpThe three Israeli airlines are asking for hundreds of millions in state loans to enable them to keep afloat. March 30, 2020
Israel opens quarantine hotels for ultra-orthodoxUltra-orthodox Jews with their large families are hard hit by coronavirus; government setting up quarantine hotels to reduce chance they'll infect family members. March 30, 2020
Israeli police take heat for not applying curfew rules equally between secular and religiousCriticized for not applying law equally to Orthodox and secular Jews, police say fines were not given in order to prevent disturbances. March 30, 2020
Infections pass 4,000 as official casts doubt on effectiveness of curfewInfection rate still doubling about every three days; health officials warn full closure might increase infections at home. March 30, 2020
US Embassy warns Americans in Israel: Come home now while you canU.S. Embassy in Jerusalem warns that it doesn't know when American citizens in Israel will be able to return to the U.S. in light of the corona-related air travel shutdown. March 29, 2020
15th corona fatality in Israel; nearly 4000 are infectedRecent reports of young people becoming seriously ill have raised fears that the virus is not just dangerous to elderly people with a history of illness. March 29, 2020
Israel deploys new ‘isolation’ ambulance to fight coronavirusMagen David Adom reveals new ambulance that is a medical isolation unit on wheels for transporting patients infected with the highly contagious coronavirus. March 29, 2020
Netanyahu mulls 3-week lockdown to contain pandemicArmed soldiers may patrol streets with police, with those 65 and older forced to stay at home as the most at-risk population. March 29, 2020
Netanyahu, Gantz hammering out unity deal, dividing up ministriesThe two sides are in the process of dividing cabinet positions among coalition partners; agree to keep religious party leader in health ministry, but replace Knesset speaker. March 29, 2020
‘Young not invincible’: Israeli, 22, in serious condition as corona targets allThe young man is reportedly a nonsmoker with no pre-existing medical conditions. March 29, 2020
IDF set to assist police in enforcing corona regulationsSoldiers assisting police officers will not have 'legal authority' over civilians, IDF Spokesman Hedi Zilberman said. March 29, 2020
MK defects from Lapid: ‘Gantz doing the right thing’MK Tamano-Shata, formerly of Lapid’s Yesh Atid party, defects to Gantz’s Israeli Resilience party to join unity government. March 29, 2020
Coronavirus hits haredi communities in Israel hardAs coronavirus spreads throughout Israel, haredi communities emerge as hotspots where rates of infection are particularly high. March 29, 2020
Pets a vector? Belgian cat contracts coronavirus'Animals are not vectors of the epidemic, so there is no reason to abandon your animal,' says Belgium's National Council for Animal Protection. March 29, 2020
Israel finds mistakes in corona lab tests, all results being recheckedSo far, eight cases have been found where people were given false positives or negatives for the coronavirus. March 29, 2020
‘Significant’ progress in Netanyahu-Gantz unity negotiationsIntense negotiations to form unity government resumed Sunday in attempt to reach agreement as country edges towards national shutdown to fight coronavirus spread. March 29, 2020
Israel’s corona death toll reaches 12, over 3,600 total cases diagnosedThe Israeli government is mulling new emergency measures, with the health minister warning that the next two weeks will be 'critical.' March 28, 2020
Netanyahu and Trump agree to ‘cooperate closely’ during corona call"The two leaders agreed to cooperate closely to combat the virus and minimize its global impact," in addition to "discuss[ing] critical bilateral and regional issues," said a statement from the White House. March 28, 2020
Israeli, Chinese firms collaborate to build emergency testing centerIsraeli DNA testing company MyHeritage announced plans to work with China-based BGI on a new testing facility capable of performing 10,000 coronavirus tests a day. March 28, 2020
Fears post-corona unemployment will severely impact Israel’s youthIsrael's low pre-corona era unemployment rate of 3.4 percent will not return soon. Officials fear a 10 percent jobless rate when the crisis ends, with those under 34 most affected. March 28, 2020
After shocking reversal by Netanyahu’s rival, Israelis wait to see shape of new gov’tPolitical dust has yet to settle in wake of shocking turnaround by opposition leader Benny Gantz; Netanyahu still till fill out other coalition partners. March 27, 2020
Israel coronavirus death toll rises to 10, more than 3000 infectedTwo elderly patients succumb to coronavirus as infections continue to rise; IDF deploys first 500 troops deploying to assist Israeli police in enforcing expected national curfew. March 27, 2020
Defense Ministry looking to open 20 more ‘corona hotels’The Defense ministry stipulated that the hotels must have at least 200 rooms in a single building. March 27, 2020
WATCH: Palestinian Authority Reports First Coronavirus DeathIt’s unclear how the woman contracted the disease, but it’s possible that infections are still passing back and forth between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. March 27, 2020
WATCH: Israeli economy takes a hitUnemployment in Israel has skyrocketed to over 20 percent in March alone due to the coronavirus. March 27, 2020
Former Gantz partners blast him for ‘selling out’ to NetanyahuGantz's former partners lash out, say he abandoned the million voters who put him in the Knesset and sold out to "crawl" into a Netanyahu-led government. March 26, 2020
Gantz elected Knesset Speaker as he heads into unity governmentGantz noted the corona crisis as one of the reasons a 'national emergency government' was needed. March 26, 2020
Political shocker: Blue and White breaks apart as Gantz joins NetanyahuIt's not yet known what position in the government Gantz will fill in the year-and-a-half before he is expected to take the premiership. March 26, 2020
