COVID-19: Experts Recommend expanding Third Booster Jab. Debate Over Inoculation in Schools Continues and Minister of Interior Shaked Comes Under Fire for Stating that “people die in a pandemic”. Following the rise in infection, morbidity and mortality rates, health experts advising the government recommended extending the third booster vaccine shot to those over 50, to health workers, prisoners, jail authority employees and other high-risk individuals. More than 750,000 people received the third booster shot within the last two weeks. Initial clinical research shows that the booster shot significantly increases COVID-19 antibodies.
Meanwhile, the public debate over the vaccination of 12–16 year-old students in schools continues. Minister of Education Yifat Shasha Biton opposes school vaccination drives, while senior health officials support them, arguing that it will provide access to vaccinations for those who otherwise may not have it.
Minister of Interior Ayelet Shaked came under fire after a primetime news show interview, where she explained the government’s COVID-19 policy to avoid reinstating harsh restrictions, living with the pandemic and containing severe morbidity and mortality caused by the pandemic. Shaked later publicly apologized for her controversial statement, yet some analysts commented that Shaked’s bluntness best reflected the current government’s strategy and was preferable to the evasive or apologetic rhetoric of other ministers. In efforts to avoid a tight lockdown during the Jewish high holidays next month, the government is both urging people to avoid traveling abroad and limiting the number of entry permits for foreign passport holders.
UN Report On Climate Change, and Israeli Current Reality: The UN report on the climate crisis that was published earlier this week was at the top of the public agenda in Israel like in other countries around the world. Israel is experiencing an extremely hot summer this year, with temperatures over 35 degree Celsius for days all over the country and over 40 degrees in some areas. Local climate experts predict that this heat may cause an extreme winter with many floods due to the fact that the temperature in Mediterranean Sea reached a record high. Warmer seas and atmosphere result in heavier rains due to higher moisture content in the air.
Meanwhile Israel sent fire fighter teams and water air tankers to help Greece gain control over a series of extreme fires all over the mainland and in some of the islands.
According to the report Israel doesn’t meet the OECD standards of reducing greenhouse gas emission.
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid made a historic trip to Morocco and during the visit announced that Israel and Morocco will open embassies in two months. Lapid was accompanied by a few Israelis of Moroccan descent, one of them a minister in the government and another a known musician, who performed at the central synagogue in Casablanca. Lapid met with the Moroccan foreign minister and officially opened the Israeli representative office in the country. There is a large community of Israelis of Moroccan descent, and they maintain warm relations with their old homeland.
Head of opposition Netanyahu was again at the center of the public agenda, with a new scandal involving his lifestyle and the thin line between right and wrong. Netanyahu tried to get the state to pay for a broken air-conditioning system in his private residence in Caesarea on his last day in office. The legal adviser refused to approve. Since he left office, Netanyahu and his wife Sara have spent their time at hotels in Jerusalem when he had to be at the Knesset and in other places. The last scandal that was first published as breaking news in Kan 11 News, stated that the couple stayed in the presidential suite of one of the most expensive hotels in the country, Dan Carmel in Haifa for two nights. But they did not pay the full price of the suite, 9,000 NIS (around $3,000) per night. According to the report they paid only 2,000 NIS ($600) per night. Netanyahu’s reaction was that he was not aware of the price, and once he realized he instructed his staff to pay the full sum. Meanwhile it was published that Netanyahu will travel for 2 weeks to the USA for a vacation with his wife.
It is important to mention that Netanyahu is facing trial and was indicted among other things for receiving very expensive presents from very rich people and allegedly this was a quid quo pro.
Japan Olympics: Israeli Gymnast Linoy Ashram Wins Rhythmic Gymnastics Individual All-Around Event, Receives Warm Welcome Upon Her Return: Ashram, 22, won the second gold medal for the Israeli delegation to the Olympics at the concluding day of the games, outscoring the Russian contender Dina Averina, after a very close competition. Ashram’s win sparked expressions of joy and pride on Israeli social media outlets, both PM Bennet and former PM Netanyahu called to congratulate her in person. However, Ashram’s win was poorly received by the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), who slammed the judging panel’s decision as biased. Ukrainian judges received threats online, and Ashram herself was bashed by Russian social media users, to the point that her Russian competitor, Averina, asked them to leave her alone.
For further reading:
COVID-19: Here, here, here, here, here
Climate Change: here, here, here, here
Morocco: Here, here, here, here