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Israeli health minister plans to resign amid virus crisis Israeli court takes step to halt phone tracking amid virus
(32 minutes later)
JERUSALEM — Israel’s embattled health minister on Sunday said he would step down following a public uproar over his handling of the coronavirus crisis and his own COVID-19 infection. JERUSALEM — Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday ordered the Shin Bet security agency to halt its use of phone-surveillance technology in the battle against the coronavirus, unless parliament begins legislating guidelines for the controversial practice.
Health Minister Yaakov Litzman informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would step aside as the country forms a new government. In a statement, he made no mention of his much-criticized performance at the Health Ministry, which he has led for most of the past decade, and instead said he would take over the Construction Ministry. In its decision, the court said parliament must begin the legislative process by Thursday.
Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabia signed a deal worth more than $264 million with China to provide the kingdom with the ability to conduct 9 million coronavirus tests. Syria also said its schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, while the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers said they will allow restaurants and coffee shops to reopen. The ruling came hours after Israel’s embattled health minister said he would step down following a public uproar over his handling of the crisis and his own COVID-19 infection.
In a statement, Litzman said he “decided not to return to the Health Ministry for a fourth time, and prefers to lead a sweeping development for solving the housing crisis in Israel in the Housing Ministry.” Elsewhere in the region, Saudi Arabia signed a $264 million deal with China to provide the ability to conduct 9 million coronavirus tests. Syria said its schools will remain closed for the rest of the school year, while the Gaza Strip’s Hamas rulers said they will allow restaurants and coffee shops to reopen.
Israel last month said it was using the Shin Bet’s phone-surveillance technology to identify people exposed to the coronavirus by retracing the movements of those who were already infected. People who had come into close contact with the infected were then ordered into home quarantine.
The coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems.
While officials have defended the practice as a life-saving measure, civil rights groups attacked it as an assault on privacy rights.
Adalah, an Arab-run advocacy group that challenged the order, praised the court decision but said it was “gravely concerned” that it had given the government so much time to conduct and legislate the practice.
“A Supreme Court decision that acknowledges this illegality but nevertheless allows it to continue severely harms the civil rights of all citizens,” it said.
The Shin Bet said it was reviewing the decision and had no further comment. But Cabinet Minister Yuval Steinitz, an ally of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, called the ruling “worrying” and accused the court of “excessive and unnecessary intervention.”
Meanwhile, Health Minister Yaakov Litzman informed Netanyahu that he would step aside as the country forms a new government. In a statement, he made no mention of his much-criticized performance at the Health Ministry, which he has led for most of the past decade. Instead, he’ll take over the Housing Ministry to deal with the country’s housing crisis.
The government has generally been lauded for keeping the coronavirus crisis in check. The virus has infected over 15,000 Israelis and killed nearly 200 people, but Israel has not seen its health system overwhelmed like hard-hit places such as Italy or New York, and the country has begun easing weeks of lockdown.The government has generally been lauded for keeping the coronavirus crisis in check. The virus has infected over 15,000 Israelis and killed nearly 200 people, but Israel has not seen its health system overwhelmed like hard-hit places such as Italy or New York, and the country has begun easing weeks of lockdown.
Litzman, an ultra-Orthodox politician with no formal medical training, has come under criticism for appearing ill-prepared at news conferences and reportedly resisting proposals to tighten lockdown measures that would affect the country’s religious community. Early this month, Litzman was diagnosed with COVID-19, apparently after ignoring his own ministry’s orders to avoid group prayer in public places. He has since recovered.Litzman, an ultra-Orthodox politician with no formal medical training, has come under criticism for appearing ill-prepared at news conferences and reportedly resisting proposals to tighten lockdown measures that would affect the country’s religious community. Early this month, Litzman was diagnosed with COVID-19, apparently after ignoring his own ministry’s orders to avoid group prayer in public places. He has since recovered.
In a TV interview Sunday, Litzman said he had never violated lockdown rules and said he was leaving his job because he was ready for a new challenge, not because of public pressure. In a TV interview Sunday, Litzman said he had never violated lockdown rules and was leaving his job because he was ready for a new challenge, not because of public pressure.
“It’s clear things have changed for the better,” he told Channel 13 TV. “It’s clear things have changed for the better,” he told Channel 13 TV, referring to the outbreak.
The coronavirus causes mild to moderate symptoms in most patients, who recover within a few weeks. But it can cause severe illness or death, particularly in older patients or those with underlying health problems. Also Sunday, Saudi Arabia signed its coronavirus testing deal with China’s BGI Group. The deal also provides the kingdom with 500 experts, specialists and technicians that will conduct tests in six new laboratories.
With the crisis appearing to be in check, the Israeli government announced new easing measures Sunday. Saudi Arabia said it’s in “a race against time to diagnose cases and to work to isolate them.” The contract also includes conducting comprehensive community testing, genetic mapping of a number of samples in the kingdom and analysis of immunity mapping from 1 million samples.
Barbershops, beauty salons and other small businesses reopened, and restaurants were permitted to serve takeout orders for the first time in nearly two months. Last week, some shops were allowed to open as well. Malls and outdoor markets, however, remain closed. Saudi Arabia has signed agreements with companies in the U.S., South Korea and Switzerland, and wants to test 40% of its population. More than 17,000 confirmed cases of the virus have been reported there, including more than 130 deaths.
The restrictions on many small businesses helped propel unemployment in Israel to over 25% since early March. Syria, which has reported three deaths and 42 confirmed cases, decided Sunday not to reopen schools as a precaution. All elementary and high school students will automatically move up to the next grade. Universities will stay closed until at least the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan on May 23.
Merchants at Jerusalem’s large central Mahane Yehuda outdoor market protested its continued closure while many other businesses, including furniture giant IKEA, were allowed to reopen. Some major chain stores also refused to open, saying they wanted government compensation for their losses first.
The Hebrew business paper The Marker reported that the owners of IKEA’s Israeli franchisee have donated at least $1.3 million in recent years to the ultra-Orthodox organization that Litzman belongs to. Litzman denied any connection to the decision.
Also Sunday, Saudi Arabia signed its coronavirus testing deal with China’s BGI Group, which also provides the kingdom with 500 experts, specialists and technicians to conduct tests in six new laboratories.
Saudi Arabia said the agreement indicates the kingdom is “in a race against time to diagnose cases and to work to isolate them.” The contract also includes conducting comprehensive community testing, genetic mapping of a number of samples in the kingdom and analysis of immunity mapping from 1 million samples.
Saudi Arabia has also signed agreements with companies in the U.S., South Korea and Switzerland with the aim of testing 40% of people in the country. More than 17,000 confirmed cases of the virus have been reported in Saudi Arabia, including more than 130 deaths.
Syria, which has reported three deaths and 42 confirmed cases, decided Sunday not to reopen schools as a precaution. All elementary and high school students will automatically move up to the next grade. Public and private universities will stay closed until at least the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which this year will occur May 23.
Syria’s Cabinet also approved a Health Ministry plan to receive Syrians who want to return from abroad, and has set up quarantine centers where new arrivals will be quarantined for two weeks.Syria’s Cabinet also approved a Health Ministry plan to receive Syrians who want to return from abroad, and has set up quarantine centers where new arrivals will be quarantined for two weeks.
In the Gaza Strip, Hamas announced the reopening of restaurants and coffee shops where people can smoke water pipes. Hamas had closed down the establishments early this month.In the Gaza Strip, Hamas announced the reopening of restaurants and coffee shops where people can smoke water pipes. Hamas had closed down the establishments early this month.
Gaza, largely closed off by an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, has reported just 17 virus cases, all of them in quarantine centers for people who returned from abroad.Gaza, largely closed off by an Israeli-Egyptian blockade, has reported just 17 virus cases, all of them in quarantine centers for people who returned from abroad.
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Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Albert Ali in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.Associated Press writers Aya Batrawy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Albert Ali in Damascus, Syria contributed to this report.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.