just before the start of the Purim weekend, which is Thursday-Sunday this year, the government voted unanimously in favor of a night curfew to take place each night of the three-day weekend from 8:30 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. The purpose of the curfew is to hamper any possible spread of the virus over the holiday, which many point to as the holiday which began the spread of the pandemic in earnest last year in the country. According to the rules of the night curfew, people will not be able to travel beyond 1,000 meters from their home except for essential needs, and there will be a ban on being in another’s person’s home during that time. Public transportation will also severely limited and in many cases halted altogether.  Intercity bus service will not be running from Thursday at 8 p.m. until Friday at 5 a.m. and from Motzei Shabbos (after Shabbos) until Sunday at 5 a.m. Outside of those hours, public transportation will operate as usual. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday afternoon during a visit to a vaccination complex in Akko that, “We are still fighting the virus. The mutation is running rampant.” Previously, officials from the Health Ministry warned that should mass gatherings, parties, and large feasts, be held on Purim, then it could lead to a resurgence of the virus at a time when Israel was finally opening up, and even cause another elongated lockdown. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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