Bennett’s Family Travels Abroad Despite PM Urging Against Travel

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s wife and children traveled on vacation overseas, his office announced Wednesday, despite Bennett’s recent call for Israelis to avoid traveling abroad.

The family’s original destination was the island of Mauritius, which has since been designated a “red country,” prompting them to change their vacation plans.

“After the decision of the Coronavirus Cabinet to leave the skies open, the destination of the vacation changed in accordance with the updated guidelines. The Bennett family will, of course, follow all the guidelines and rules that apply to Israeli citizens,” a statement from Bennett’s office read.

His office did not state where the family would be traveling to.

During a press conference last Friday, however, Bennett stated that he didn’t recommend traveling due to the Omicron variant.

“If someone asked me, at the moment I wouldn’t recommend flying abroad right now amid a level of uncertainty like this,” Bennett said, “that’s the truth.”

MK Yisrael Katz (Likud) commented on the vacation, calling it a “political lie turned normal.”

“After advising Israeli citizens not to fly abroad, Bennett’s wife and children are taking off for a vacation abroad. This is how it is when leading by example is trampled on.”

Even a member of the coalition, Tourism Minister Yoel Razvozov, referred to the controversy in an interview Thursday, saying, “The Prime Minister is the one who was elected in the democratic elections, and he is the one who sets a personal example. The same law should apply to his wife and family as to the other Israelis.”

Days after Bennett’s no-flight call to the public, the government’s Coronavirus Cabinet convened to approve a set of new restrictions meant to halt the potential spread of the Omicron variant, including several restrictions pertaining to travel and Ben Gurion Airport, as well as phone tracking of confirmed Omicron cases.