Pictured above: Nearly empty paths through the Mahane Yehudah market this Friday afternoon that are normally packed shoulder to shoulder on Fridays leading up to the Shabbat.
We are in unprecedented times in Israel. We have been under a transitional government in Israel since the first round of elections in April of 2019. Now after the third round of elections in Israel, we are still under a transitional government that is decreasingly operating as a democracy and increasingly taking liberties without the consent of the legislative body of Israel (the Knesset).
This week, the doors of the Knesset were closed by Yuli Edelstein (who a majority of Knesset members were preparing to vote to replace this week as the Speaker of the Knesset). Instead, restrictions have been placed on freedom of movement of citizens and permission has been granted to Israel’s security personnel to track anyone who has been infected with Corona or may have come into contact with someone who has the Corona Virus. Some people are receiving text messages from the government that they are required to enter into isolation based on their phone having been in close proximity to someone who got the Corona Virus. Pray with us for restoration of democracy and freedom in Israel as well as for the efforts of medical professionals who are doing outstanding work to combat the outbreak of the Corona Virus in Israel.