The head of Prof. Ronni Gamzu's advisory committee In coronavirus-related issues, Prof. Ran Blitzer, noted that the government's consideration of a month-long lockdown is a clear sign that it has failed in its policies heretofore."If we're talking about placing restrictions In the population for an entire month, then it's clear we've lost control of the situation," he said. "We have to take decisions now, because we have lost control of the spread of contagion in every part of the country."

Following the Cabinet's decision to adopt coronavirus commissar Prof. Ronni Gamzu's recommendation to impose a full closure over the holidays, Construction and Housing Minister Yaakov Litzman announced to the Prime Minister his resignation as Minister in Government.

Some directors invited to cabinet meeting say full closure is unnecessary. Minister Edelstein threatens to withdraw his proposal.

Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz criticized the health system at the cabinet meeting."You should have hoisted the red flag two months ago. It was clear we'd get here when 500 patients were diagnosed a day. At these numbers the economic damage is impossible. It's better to suffer two weeks of damage with a breathable closure, as we did in March, than to continue like this for a year," Steinitz said.

Kisse Rachamim Yeshiva head Rabbi Meir Mazuz was rushed to hospital today after feeling unwell.His associates said: "He feels ill and went for tests."

Poll finds half of the respondents consider themselves Right-wing, a quarter in the political Center, with almost another quarter Left-wing.

Finance Minister Yisrael Katz has sharply criticized the government, telling ministers at today's cabinet meeting: "We will now have to make difficult decisions, because the Health Ministry has not being doing its job properly, despite having been provided with all the resources it needed."

Dr. Nachum Itzkovitz, director-general of the Agriculture Ministry, has appealed to the government's coronavirus czar, Prof. Ronni Gamzu, as well as the Health Ministry's director-general, Prof. Hezi Levy, asking them to allow trade to continue in fresh produce in the event that a nationwide lockdown is imposed."Keeping markets open is vital for the rehabilitation of the agricultural sector, as well as ensuring a wide variety of produce for Israeli consumer. It will also reduce overcrowding in stores selling fresh foods, and enable people to purchase the 'four species' [arba'at haminim] for the upcoming Sukkot festival," he wrote.