Joëlle Weil in second confinement in Israel

Interview

Swiss woman in Israel: “The mood before the second confinement is bad”

Israel imposes the second blockade. Journalist Joëlle Weil said in an interview with Watson that it generates frustration and rejection among the population. She tells why the situation got out of control.

As of Friday, the “lockdown” will be applied again throughout Israel: schools, restaurants, shops will be closed and people will not be allowed to move more than 500 meters from their homes. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided on Sunday night.

It is the second confinement in Israel and is scheduled to last three weeks. Crown numbers in Israel have continuously increased since the end of May. Last Thursday, the country registered more than 4,000 new infections. That was ten times more than in Switzerland, which is about the same size in terms of population. This meant that the government was unable to postpone the renewed status quo at the national level.

Joëlle Weil, the second blockade in Israel is coming. How is the mood in Tel Aviv?
Joëlle Weil: Bad, like all Israel. Many companies that barely survived the first lockdown are now threatened by an economic breakdown at their necks.

Why is the lock being declared at this time?
Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year festival, begins next Friday night. A week later, Yom Kippur, a day of fasting and the highest holiday in Judaism, is celebrated. Therefore, it is highly recommended to enforce the lock now. After all, the family environment is considered the number one place of infection.

Does this create tension between believers and the government?
Rosh Hashanah is not exclusively for believers, non-believers also celebrate on this day. It can be compared to Christmas in Switzerland, where both believers and laity participate. Each in their own way. It’s frustrating for everyone, many Israelis are depressed because these days they are only allowed to celebrate at home rather than with the whole family.

Why has Corona’s situation in Israel got out of control?
The government eased the last blockade too quickly and allowed major events too quickly. Decisions were made hastily and in a good mood. Appealing to people’s discipline at the same time could not work. Above all, Tel Aviv has been searching for weeks as if Corona had never happened. Other than the mask requirement in stores, you don’t notice anything.

Israel has almost the same number of inhabitants as Switzerland. What does President Benjamin Netanyahu do differently from the Federal Council?
Good question, the people of Israel would like to know too. Unfortunately, there is no clear answer to this. The only possible explanation would be the cultural difference. Netanyahu’s euphoric relaxation after the first lockdown is certainly an accomplice. His request of the population to go out quietly and “have coffee or beer” was the wrong approach. It’s a shame, because at first Israel presented itself well with its determination and speed.

What exactly do you mean by cultural difference?
The Israelis don’t like being told what to do. Everyone takes liberties and makes an exception. But with eight million exceptions, the measures no longer work. Israel is a country of war: you join in when it comes to an emergency. But this “emergency mode button” cannot be pressed at will. The government, which is divided anyway, has disappointed too many of the population, acts economically to the detriment of many, communicates in disagreement and unclear, and has lost the trust of many.

Will the Israelis hold out even in the second blockade?
In Tel Aviv, some restaurateurs have already announced: “We will not close our stores, we will only take buses.” Very soon we will be able to see if that will really be the case. Despite the bad mood, I still think that most will stick with it.