Estonia could have been picked as the first country to get the vaccine, but PM Netanyahu and former Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer persuaded Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla that Israel's emergency experience and population diversity made it a better bet.
Ra'am says it will not support PM Benjamin Netanyahu's idea to hold a direct election for prime minister.
Pfizer says its vaccine is safe, effective and produces robust antibody responses in 12- to 15-year-olds.
"We will promote, together with the UK, mutual recognition of vaccines to allow tourists and business people from both countries to return to their routines safely," Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi says.
Likud suffers stinging defeat as Yesh Atid and Ra'am are able to wrestle control of a key committee that determines the legislative agenda until a new government is formed. "We understand that we are on the way to the opposition," Likud whip says.
Moderna and Pfizer respectively will each supply Israel with nine million doses, which will be tailored to stand up against COVID variants.
It includes all 24 players who secured Israel’s spot by winning the WBSC Baseball Europe/Africa Olympic qualifier in September 2019.
Health Ministry said the requirement still applied for indoor public spaces and urged citizens to keep masks on hand.
Despite the mixed messages coming from top officials, not to mention the steadfast opposition of the vast majority of Japanese citizens, these Olympics will take place this summer. There's simply too much money at stake for there to be any other outcome.
Religious Zionist Party leader Bezalel Smotrich says will not yield to Likud's pressure to join a coalition supported by Ra'am. "If that's Likud's only strategy, Netanyahu shouldn’t waste any more time – he should give the mandate back now," he says.