Justice Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Sunday slammed the Israeli government’s new restrictions intended to thwart the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant, saying that he thinks that they’re unnecessary. Israel has banned tourists from entering the country for two weeks, lengthened mandatory quarantine from 24 to 72 hours, and is allowing the Shin Bet to track down those who were exposed to the Omicron variant. Sa’ar said that he thinks that halting tourism will have “significant economic costs” and shouldn’t be done “without very very strong reasons.” Prime Minister Naftali Bennett admitted that the government’s steps are “severe” but he feels they are necessary. Sa’ar and three other ministers, Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton, Economy Minister Orna Barbivai, and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Eli Avidar voted on Sunday against the authorization of the Shin bet tracking program. Avidar and Bennett got into a shouting match during the Cabinet meeting on Sunday when Avidar expressed his opposition to the Shin Bet tracking. (YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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