Incoming Finance Minister Calls for National Emergency Plan

“We need a national emergency plan,” declared Amir Peretz on Tuesday, and no one disagreed.

Peretz, head of the Labor party, and the putative Finance Minister of the new government, initiated meetings with leaders of the country’s economic sectors, according to Arutz Sheva.

Not surprisingly, no one objected to the move, in light of Israel’s uncertain lurching toward a reopening of the economy. The government has been having a hard time coordinating teachers and parents in making up for lost time during quarantine, and working parents who can’t return to work while small children have no school. Small businesses and large are in danger of collapse as the government works to implement assistance plans.

Meanwhile, the Employment Service reported that since the beginning of the week, 3,131 of those on unpaid leave have returned to work.

The service estimated that the actual figure is much larger, but thousands have yet to report the change.

10,873 new unemployment claims were registered Tuesday.

Banks are set to reopen additional branches on Thursday

The number of branches open to the public will be increased from 15 percent to at least 30 percent, across the country, the central bank said.

Despite the expanded access, the Bank of Israel’s Supervision Department urged the public to continue carrying out banking activities by telephone, bank applications, websites, and ATMs.