A Jewish worshipper blows the shofar at the Western Wall in Jerusalem ahead of Rosh Hashanah. (Credit: Sebastian Scheiner, AP).
The State of Israel is headed for full lockdown beginning Friday, after the Ministry of Health confirmed 6,948 new Coronavirus cases on Tuesday, the largest single-day figure since the beginning of the pandemic. The Israeli “Corona Cabinet” met to discuss the lockdown proposal, deliberating for more than 8 hours before proposing the measure to the full cabinet. After the government ministers approved, Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu addressed the Israeli public on Wednesday, stating that the additional restrictions were intended to “reduce the rate of infection, and the goal is literally to save many lives in Israel.” The proposal will go before the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) for a vote on Thursday.
Israel had already implemented a partial lockdown last week in advance of the Rosh Hashanah holiday, closing certain non-essential businesses, but still allowing for freedom of movement without a full closure of the private economy. Wednesday’s announcement would further tighten restrictions, with all non-essential businesses closed, travel and freedom of movement restricted, and large public demonstrations and worship gatherings forbidden until at least October 10th. The restrictions on synagogue worship are the most controversial, as the high holy day of Yom Kippur approaches. Gatherings in synagogues and other places of worship will be significantly restricted to small groups who live nearby.
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After low rates of COVID-19 infection in the early months of the pandemic, Israel has seen the largest increase in new cases per capita in the world over the last 30 days. Tuesday’s figures pushed the total number of confirmed infections in the Jewish State above 200,000 in a nation of just under 9 million. Total Coronavirus deaths have surpassed 1,300, with 32 new deaths reported yesterday alone. Almost 700 COVID-19 patients are in critical condition across Israel, as health care providers have warned that the system could be overwhelmed. The Palestinian territories reported over 600 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases in Gaza and the West Bank to more than 46,000.
We ask the global FAI family to be in prayer for the people of Israel and the Palestinian territories. The pandemic itself, as well as the restrictions intended to curb its spread, have not only caused major disruption to Israel’s economy, but have also caused political and social upheaval. In a season when Israel is seizing the opportunity to make peace with her surrounding Arab neighbors, COVID-19 has been a serious threat to public welfare, as it has been across the Middle East, which has already been ravaged and weakened by a decade of conflict. We pray for Israeli leaders to be granted divine wisdom in their decision-making, for a spirit of unity and comradery among the Israeli people, for a swift decline in the number of new cases, and for the full recovery of all Coronavirus patients. Most of all, we pray that the ongoing specter of plague and war would continue to open doors for Good News of peace in the Land of Promise.
Maranatha.
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