The government on Wednesday approved an extension of the special emergency regulations restricting demonstrations. The measure was approved only 10 minutes before the deadline.
According to a bill passed on September 29, the government could enact emergency regulations for a period of one week with a possible extension every seven days and could last no longer than one month. The regulations ban citizens from protesting further than one kilometer from their homes.
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Protesters march in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, demonstrating against government restrictions on the right to protest
(Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The restrictions were part of the lockdown imposed on the country last month and caused a rift inside the coalition after they were seen as an attempt by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to silence demonstrations calling for his resignation over his government's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and the corruption charges.
The regulations were set to expire at midnight on Wednesday and were extended in an urgent telephone vote, under a section of the bill authorizing the government to bypass the Knesset Judicial committee which failed to convene earlier to approve the move. The regulations will be in effect until October 13.
The government also argued in favor of restricting demonstrations in front of the High Court, which was deliberating an appeal of the amended coronavirus law.
"At this time, with the second wave of the pandemic striking the country, there is an inevitable need to restrict gatherings including demonstration," the government's argument read.
"Despite an affront to freedom of speech and freedom of protest, which the government does not take lightly, and as other freedoms and human rights are critically affected by the health crisis – we find the emergency regulations to be timely and measured," the government said.
"There is no specific data relating to the amount of contagion caused by demonstrations but Health Ministry officials say such information can not be produced because of limitations to the epidemiological investigative tools," the statement added.
The response also notes that since infection is widespread it is impossible to confirm without a doubt whether contagion did occur at demonstrations.
The Health Ministry on Thursday posted 4,117 new coronavirus cases after more than 48,000 tests had been conducted.
The ministry said the contagion rate now stands at 8.5%, the lowest it has been in weeks.
The number of patients in serious condition now stands at 847, of whom 236 are ventilated. The official death toll has gone up to 1,824.