Israel News for 2-26-2020
News Update
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There are currently 1,600 Israelis in quarantine for coronavirus all across the country, stretching from Kiryat Shmona in the very north all the way down to Be’er Sheva in the south. According to Health Ministry regulations, any Israeli returning from Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand or Macau must spend 14 days in isolation either at home or in a medical facility. The same regulations apply to anyone who was in contact with the South Korean pilgrim group whose members tested positive for the virus after they returned from a recent sightseeing trip to Israel.
Both PM Netanyahu and President Rivlin expressed condolences to the Egyptian people on the death of former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. They also praised Mubarak for his contributions to establish peace and stability in the region.
A joint Israeli and American team is working on mapping territory in Judea and Samaria that would officially become part of Israel under the Trump peace plan.
Meanwhile, the PM said that he is moving forward with a plan to build around 3,500 homes in the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim, in order to effectively connect it to Jerusalem. The construction has been held up for years as a result of international pressure.
The Gaza-Israel border is quiet, and life is returning to normal in the south of Israel. The IDF said more than 100 rockets were fired into Israel during the two-day round of cross-border violence. The Iron Dome missile defense system successfully intercepted about 90% of the rockets, although several civilian targets – including a playground – were hit.
