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The second blockade of the crown has begun in Israel. People can only move one kilometer from their place of residence. Many are losing patience and expressing frustration with the Netanyahu government.
By Benjamin Hammer, ARD-Studio Tel Aviv
Nine in the morning on the beach in Tel Aviv. Not a cloud in the sky, 26 degrees. The best time of year begins in Israel these days. If it weren’t for the corona virus. Around 6,000 new infections are detected here every day. Relative to population, that’s almost 30 times more than in Germany. And as many as in almost no other country in the world.
On the beach, the virus still seems far away. A group of children are curled up face down in the sand doing exercises for a surf lesson. Is Thursday. The day before the closure. Many want to go out again. Orit Ovadia plays beach volleyball. “Exercising in the morning is a privilege we enjoy here in Tel Aviv. Especially on the beach. We are addicted to it,” he says. “It catches us when life is stressful.”
He has a community and friends here. “And that should be taken away from us for three weeks. I think some people won’t accept it. Still, the lockdown makes sense. Because all things need a break from time to time.”
The three-week confinement begins
For at least three weeks, Israelis are only allowed to walk one kilometer from their homes. Even if there are exceptions: playing beach volleyball together is taboo. Orit and his companions get very close. They clap each other.
“At first I was afraid of the virus. Panic. But it has gotten better. Because I can see: we have had the virus with us for six months and we are fine. I cannot last my whole life. It is impossible.”
Many people in the country are like Israelis. In March there was great fear about the virus. Activated by the images of northern Italy. But he was also decisively fired by Prime Minister Netanyahu, who is said to have even spoken internally about a possible end of humanity. Then very little happened. Mortality in Israel remained low. The number of infections as well. And the once gloomy Netanyahu asked people in May to have fun and have a beer. Public life opened up quickly and randomly. And many people thought: Corona is not so bad. Fear turned into recklessness in some.
Too careless
Tel Aviv at night. On the way to Ichilov Hospital. Rabin Square is on the way. In the outdoor area of a restaurant, young people sit very cramped. The waitresses wear masks under the chin.
Guy Choshen waits in front of the Ichilov Hospital. He is the medical director of the crown wards. It is almost 10 pm The doctor has been working for 14 hours. Choshen, wearing a surgical mask, sits on a bench. In the building behind him are seriously ill Covid-19 patients.
“I just spoke with a 61-year-old man. He was at a wedding a week ago. Several hundred guests. I assure you: no one was wearing a mask. Dozens were infected there.” He is surprised that the Israelis are moving on with their lives. “You’re pretending nothing is going to happen right now.”
Who is responsible?
Almost every day there is a new video showing an illegal wedding in Israel. Here a well-known singer performs in front of 600 guests. No masks, no space. In northern Israel it is said that even 5,000 people celebrated. The big question now is who to blame for these conditions. The wedding guests? Naturally. The police don’t stop the celebrations? Certainly.
The Ichilov Hospital doctor also refers to the Israeli government. To ministers who break their own rules. To Prime Minister Netanyahu, who also did not wear a mask in the Donald Trump mask rejection this week at the White House. Restrictions that the government planned for certain sectors of society or the economy. And then it stopped again.
“Personally, I have the impression that we do not have any government at the moment,” says Dr. Choshen. “It is just a collection of ministers who comply with all the demands of their groups. But you cannot lead your country through a crisis like this if you do not intend to enforce the rules.”
Protests against the government
A few days ago, many dishes were broken in Tel Aviv. Restaurant operators threw them to the ground. And he said they were fed up with the government. During closure, restaurants can only sell food for delivery services. Many fear for its existence.
“We were devastated,” says a restaurant owner in a video. “The lockdown makes no sense. We are a company with 20 employees. And we have to close again. Look how much space we have here. How can it be that people are praying but we are not allowed to work?”
In secular Tel Aviv, many are under the impression that ultra-Orthodox Jews are allowed too much. That the rules were violated in a particularly blatant way by this part of society. The infection rate is particularly high among Arab and ultra-Orthodox Israelis. And so the crisis in the Crown threatens to further divide an already divided country.
Lock in place of the festive atmosphere
The confinement begins on a special day. Today begins the Jewish New Year. The President of Israel, Rivlin, turned to his fellow men. You know that many are not in the mood for the holidays. Then how? Visiting family members who do not live in the neighborhood is prohibited. According to media reports, the government expects many rule violations to occur during the shutdown.
But Rivlin did not blame the citizens at all. He himself had not obeyed all the rules during the first confinement. “I know we don’t show the leadership that deserves recognition. You trusted us and we failed you,” he said.
The second blockade is a second chance for the government, the Israeli president said. There probably won’t be a third.
