The beginning of the end of the current lockdown depends on the Israeli public demonstrating unity and discipline, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday afternoon at a Likud faction meeting.
"It also depends on technology we develop," Netanyahu said.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"We are making a great effort to develop a vaccine for COVID. The problem is that there are 120 main entities that are also trying to. We are developing our vaccine at the [Israel Institute for Biological Research] in Ness Ziona, but it will take time. There are three or four companies that have gotten there, but all the countries are standing in line. When I'm trying to do, along with the Health Ministry, is use our special difficulties to try and move us up in line, so the citizens can get vaccines in time. I'm pretty optimistic," the prime minister said.
Netanyahu said that the government would decide on when and how to ease the lockdown according to a gradual plan that would be agreed upon and evaluated.
"Reverting to this situation is difficult because we see all the criticism, but the right decisions must be made," he told faction members.
On Monday, the Knesset began its winter session amid bitter coalition infighting as well as the COVID crisis.
At the plenum's opening session earlier Monday, Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin, Knesset Speaker Yariv Levin, and Opposition leader Yair Lapid all spoke. Due to COVID, there were no guests other than President of the Supreme Court Justice Esther Hayut.
The Knesset was due to vote on a no-confidence measure in Netanyahu proposed by Yesh Atid. To pass, 61 MKs must vote for it.
However, Blue and White would not be voting in favor of the no-confidence measure, Defense Minister Benny Gantz said.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
"It's a public relations move and not an action that has a chance. However, the loss of the public and the leadership's trust should be a warning light to the prime minister and the cabinet members," Gantz said.
Gantz also insisted that a budget for 2021 would be passed in December.
Lapid spoke at a meeting of his own Yesh Atid-Telem faction on Monday, saying that any MK who didn't vote in favor of his no-confidence measure was a "coward."
"I'm sorry, I don't have a gentler word for it. This government is incapable of handling the [COVID] crisis. This prime minister has failed to handle the crisis. Anyone who knows that and doesn't vote no-confidence is simply a coward," Lapid said.
"The Blue and White people know this government has failed. That's not a political statement. The numbers prove it. Unemployment proves it. The resignation of all the upper echelon of the Treasury proves it. The public doesn't have a scrap of faith in the government. There is no chance of this government handling public health and the economy properly. Gantz and [Foreign Minister Gabi] Ashkenazi are saying that. [Naftali] Bennett is saying that. [Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor] Lieberman is saying that," Lapid said.
