The plan to distribute coronavirus vaccines to foreign countries could have been Israel's finest hour. Instead, petty political battles have seemingly nipped the initiative in the bud, likely burying it forever.
The fate of the future coalition seems to rest in the hands of the smaller parties, most of which are teetering on the brink of the four-seat electoral threshold. In first, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid and New Hope chief Gideon Sa'ar's approval ratings are tied.
The rollout of vaccines to the EU’s 27 member-states is lagging far behind that of Israel and some other countries including the US and Britain.
Israelis aged 16 and over up will be able to receive their jabs three months after recovering. Contrary to standard procedure, they will only receive one shot of the vaccine.
Right-wing political parties and organizations vehemently oppose High Court's order mandating the state to recognize Reform and Conservative conversions, call it "a fatal blow to Israel's Jewish character."
The Health Ministry has stated that maintaining the R rate at 1 or below is one of the criteria necessary to allow relaxing restrictions.
"When the Left is a partner in the government, it sets its tone," Religious Zionist Chairman MK Bezalel Smotrich tells Israel Hayom.
A survey by local radio station 103FM also finds that the prime minister's rivals are edging up in terms of their approval ratings.
Ibtisam Mara'ana, No. 7 on Labor's Knesset slate, has expressed remorse for past remarks negating Israel's right to exist. "Vying in the elections is not a 'prize' afforded only to model citizens or to those whose opinions conform with others," roiling states. Right fumes, calls the ruling "disgraceful."
An election campaign is a job interview. Let the party leaders tell us why we should hire them.
