Israel News for 6-15-2020

News Update

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While Jerusalem remains the city with the most cases of Coronavirus, Tel Aviv has, over the past few days, become the city with the highest infection rate — twice as high as Jerusalem. The Coronavirus National Information and Knowledge Center, which is part of the IDF’s Security and Intelligence Division, has urged the government to reinstate restrictions on large gatherings – only 24 hours after it permitted events with up to 250 people. The IDF also urged the government to strictly enforce existing health regulations such as mask wearing and social distancing.

The PM warned yesterday that there has been no improvement in the rate of infection, and that the current total of new cases continues to be over 200 per day, which is a red flag. He urged Israelis to adhere to the health guidelines, particularly the wearing of masks.

Israel is deporting the son of American media magnate Shari Redstone for violating the coronavirus quarantine rules while paying a secret visit to his Israeli girlfriend.

Due to the coronavirus crisis, Israel is expected to lose two-thirds of the $300 million of annual income brought in by its heritage tourism industry, which includes trips by Birthright and Masa.

According to new numbers from the National Insurance Institute, 69% of those unemployed or put on unpaid leave due to coronavirus (738,000) have not returned to work.

Border Police and Civil Administration forces clashed with settlers while dismantling six illegal structures in the Givat HaBaladim outpost and six other illegal structures in the Maoz Esther outpost, both located in Israeli controlled territory in the West Bank.

PM Netanyahu announced yesterday that planning will begin on the building of a town in the Golan which will be named Ramat Trump, in honor of the US President’s recognition of the Golan as being part of Israel, last year.

According to the Beirut-based Al Akhbar newspaper, Israel has agreed to transfer $50 million of Qatari aid to Gaza and continue the social projects started by the Gulf states in exchange for Hamas’s pledge to stop incendiary balloon attacks. On Friday a cluster of balloons was launched from the Al-Bureij refugee camp in the center of the Gaza Strip, but non of the balloons managed to cross into Israel.