Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Tuesday that Israelis may have to hunker down for the long haul because of the COVID-19 pandemic, days after a nationwide lockdown brought the country to a virtual standstill.
Netanyahu held a live discussion online via Facebook, and was asked by one of the viewers when the measures would be lifted. Netanyahu said that it was very likely that things could remain as they are even beyond the three-week lockdown currently being enforced.
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"I want to be square with you: The lockdown will last at least a month, and could be longer," the prime minister said, before going on to attack those who flout the social distancing restrictions. "Those who go and meet people despite the high reproduction rate of the virus and without masks, are walking into the fire. The virus, does not care if you are attending a prayer service or demonstrating; you will eventually end up infecting your family, kids and all those dear to you. Don't do it."
Hundreds of Israelis demonstrated outside the Knesset on Tuesday against a government-backed bill that would apply various restrictions on the gathering of protesters in order to help fight the pandemic.
The proposed law would ban Israelis from holding street demonstrations more than one 0.6 miles from their homes.
Israel went back into lockdown for at least three weeks on Sept. 18 after new COVID-19 cases climbed to around 7,000 a day in a population of nine million, overtaxing some hospitals.
Bickering within Netanyahu's coalition government prevented street protests from being included in activities restricted by the limit, such as family visits, before the Yom Kippur Jewish fasting day earlier this week.
Tuesday's vote was necessary to add the demonstrations to that category and limit all protest gatherings to 20 people.
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Netanyahu says Israel has handled the health crisis relatively well and that he has no political motive in seeking to prevent street protests. He denies any wrongdoing in three corruption cases against him.
Israel has reported 234,060 infections and 1,516 deaths from COVID-19, the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus.
