The Knesset on Tuesday passed the so-called “coronavirus law”, ending the state of emergency that has been in place for most of the pandemic and requiring more legislative oversight over government-imposed COVID-19 restrictions.
The new law will come into effect from February 1 and will last till the end of 2022. If cabinet wants to impose restrictions related to the coronavirus during that period, it will have to classify the situation as one of two options: a state of emergency or, less severe, a “special health condition.” The government would be allowed to impose restrictions in any case, but more severe regulations would be allowed only in emergencies. The Knesset must ultimately sign off on decisions made in any position.
The coronavirus law passed by the previous government in July 2020 did not require such discrimination and the cabinet has been criticized for giving too much leeway to the widespread lockdown and limiting restrictions that restrict freedom of movement Was. was limiting. Some of that criticism was voiced again on Tuesday, with opposition lawmakers arguing that the coalition had passed similar legislation that its members had strongly opposed less than two years ago, when in the Knesset. The roles were changed. was given.
Under the new law, the Knesset’s constitution, the Law and Justice Committee or the entire plenum must approve either of the two national health conditions within seven days. If neither does, the government’s announcement loses its validity.
The law only allows the government to declare a special health condition if ministers are convinced that a wave of the virus endangers public health. To declare a state of emergency, ministers must be convinced that there is a significant upward trend in morbidity or that the virus is sufficiently widespread to risk destabilizing the entire public health system. However, in both cases the government should seek the opinion of the health minister and professional staff in that office.
Each emergency will last for 45 days while the special health will last 90 days.
A plenary session at the Assembly Hall of the Knesset in Jerusalem, January 5, 2022. (Yonton Sindel/Flash90)
Declaring a state of emergency would allow the government to enforce a lockdown, require schools to move classes online and ban foreign travel.
Under both a state of emergency and a special health condition, the right to protest will be waived, unlike the previous law, which allowed the extent of such gatherings during certain lockdowns.
As a result of agreements reached with opposition lawmakers, neither national health conditions would include a ban on movement for prayer purposes.
In a particular health condition, the restrictions will only apply if the Constitution Committee has voted to approve them. They should be brought before the panel five days before the government installs them.
In the event of an emergency, new sanctions are allowed to be installed before they are approved by the constitution committee, but the panel is given 48 hours to ratify after the fact – the 24 given under the previous law. . more than an hour.
The new law also requires any new masks or quarantine requirements to be approved by the Knesset’s health committee.
Stores selling essential products will no longer require customers to show proof of Green Pass vaccination status cards upon entry under the new law. The law also requires that the government provide funding for coronavirus tests for sections of the population who are unable to be vaccinated because of specific medical conditions.
The so-called coronavirus cabinet that sets the government’s pandemic policy will be made up of at least seven ministers, including health and the prime minister. It does not specify which other cabinet members should sit on the panel, unlike previous legislation. However, the Finance Minister will be required to attend all meetings on the implementation of economic sanctions. Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman had come under criticism last year for not attending such meetings.