Knesset Approves New Coronavirus Restrictions

The Knesset’s Coronavirus Committee approved Sunday afternoon new restrictions on public activity which were drawn up on Thursday by the government.

Under the new restrictions, starting Monday at 8:00 a.m., weddings will be limited to a total of 50 people, sharply down from the 250 under the current regulations.

The new regulation will also apply to shuls and event halls, with no more than 50 people allowed at any given time. Other indoor events can only be attended by a maximum of 20 people.

The new restrictions were voted in after seven MKs on the panel backed them and three opposed the moves.

On Monday, the Corona Cabinet ministers will discuss whether to impose restrictions on beaches and whether to limit the number of people allowed in a restaurant to 50. Finance Minister Yisrael Katz has called for restaurants to be allowed to host more than 50 people, to enable them to remain open.

The ministers will also debate canceling permissions for cultural events to go ahead.

“We are in the midst of a major outbreak of the coronavirus,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday. “This outbreak will lead to a doubling of the number of patients in serious condition, and that will be a serious challenge for the health-care system.”