Israel Parliamentary Elections 2021 Preparations

The Central Elections Committee prepares for the 23rd March, 2021, national elections for the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament. 15,000 polling stations will be operated nationwide, 30% more than in 2020, including in every assisted living for the elderly facility, inside hospital Coronavirus wards and quarantined drive through voting stations for those tested positive for COVID-19.

Follow The Lights in Jerusalem

The Monastery of the Cross is illuminated as Follow The Lights art exhibition opens in Jerusalem illuminating the city's iconic landmarks with light and video art. Installations invite visitors to tour the city adhering to all public health measures from the safety and convenience of their own cars. The exhibition will run until 3rd March, 2021.

COVID-19: ECONOMY: Israel

Putting faith in the efficiency of COVID-19 vaccines and under pressure ahead of the 23rd March, 2021, elections, Israeli government eases Coronavirus restrictions opening commerce, shopping malls, cultural events, hotels and gyms with yet another set of confusing limitations and regulations. Some 3 million Israelis have been vaccinated with a second dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine as morbidity rates continue to decline with a positivity rate of 6.4% and an R of 0.79.

Early Spring in Midst of Winter - Jerusalem

Japanese Sakura cherry blossoms, of the Prunus campanulata species, bloom at the Hebrew University Botanical Gardens, coinciding with post lockdown reopening.

Netanyahu Corruption Trial in Jerusalem

Crime Minister anti Netanyahu activists lay a red carpet and conduct a mock cleanup operation to ‘clean up corruption’ and demand PM’s resignation at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem. Netanyahu’s trial begins later today with a hearing he is required to attend at the Jerusalem District Court focusing on his response to the criminal indictment against him. Israel’s first serving prime minister to go on criminal trial faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust ahead of 23rd March, 2021 elections.

COVID-19: DAILY LIFE: Jerusalem

A Jewish religious man walks past a banner depicting Rabbi Nachman of Breslov, believed by some to be the messiah, at Jerusalem’s Shuk Mahane Yehuda Market.

COVID-19: TRAVEL: Israel

Last minute outgoing travelers undergo COVID-19 tests at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport just hours ahead of a near total air travel ban taking effect at midnight 25th January, 2021, proposed and approved by the government cabinet less than 24 hours ago. Exceptions will include only circumstances such as medical treatment, judicial proceedings or funerals of close family relatives but even in such cases no commercial flights will be available. Emergency Coronavirus regulations will be in effect at least until 31st January, 2021.

COVID-19: VACCINE: Jerusalem

Nurses administer COVID-19 vaccines at the Pais Arena Sports Complex in Jerusalem, converted into a Coronavirus vaccination center. Criteria is now either health workers, education workers, or the general public 50 years of age and above. The number of Israeli citizens who have received at least one dose of the Pfizer BioNTech vaccine has exceeded 2M as a mass vaccination campaign continues, and so does COVID-19 infection in the general public.

COVID-19: DAILY LIFE: Jerusalem

Shoppers at Jerusalem’s Shuk Mahane Yehuda Market during a 3rd nationwide COVID-19 lockdown which began at midnight 7th January, 2021. Israel nears 2 million vaccinated at least one dose, representing over 22 percent of the population, simultaneously with breaking daily records in COVID-19 infections, now topping 9,000.

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN: Roadblocks in Jerusalem

Policemen deploy a checkpoint monitoring drivers and traffic as they enforce a 3rd nationwide COVID-19 lockdown which began at midnight 7th January, 2021.

COVID-19: PROTESTS: Jerusalem

A man wearing a face mask depicting Health Minister Edelstein pretends to vaccinate another with a huge syringe labeled ‘danger’. Demonstrators outside the parliament building protest Netanyahu’s government, breach of trust and claims of fraud and politicization in Coronavirus management, lockdowns, violation of liberties and human rights in proposed ‘Green Passport’ for the cured or vaccinated, nationwide financial crisis, unemployment, additional budgets for the handicapped, restaurateurs and small businesses and an assortment of other alleged ailments and demands.

Christmas 2020

Santa Claus, or 'Baba Noel' as he is called in Arabic, rides a camel substitute for reindeer near Jerusalem's Old City Jaffa Gate. The Jerusalem Municipality and the Jewish National Fund distributed specially grown Arizona Cypress Christmas trees to the Christian population at the Jaffa Gate.

Christmas 2020

Santa Claus, or 'Baba Noel' as he is called in Arabic, rides a camel substitute for reindeer near Jerusalem's Old City Jaffa Gate. The Jerusalem Municipality and the Jewish National Fund distributed specially grown Arizona Cypress Christmas trees to the Christian population at the Jaffa Gate.

COVID-19: DAILY LIFE: Israel Museum in Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Israel. 19th December, 2020. Visitors experience art and culture at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Closed due to COVID-19 restrictions for an extended period of time, a $4Million donation has saved museum employees from unemployment and wage cuts. Now open only since the end of November, the museum faces the inevitability of renewed restrictions on public life and reclosure. Israel struggles with a surge of new Coronavirus cases as preparations underway to begin Pfizer vaccination tomorrow, 20th December, 2020. Credit: Nir Alon/Alamy Live News.

COVID-19: RECOVERY: Partial Hotel Reopening in Israel

Dead Sea hotels are set to reopen as approved by Israeli Parliament’s ‘Tourist Islands Law’ declaring the Dead Sea and the city of Eilat as green zones requiring arrivals to present negative COVID-19 tests.

Israel: Construction in East Jerusalem

A shepherd leads her flock to graze in Givat Hamatos from the adjacent Bet Safafa. Right wing Jewish protesters, supporters of Jewish settlement in the whole of the ‘Land of Israel’, demonstrate against, and accost, a European Union delegation led by the EU representative to the Palestinians, Von Burgsdorff, as the delegation tours controversial Givat Hamatos. Netanyahu’s government moved ahead on Sunday, 15th November, 2020, publishing a tender for building 1,257 homes in Givat Hamatos, in what some claim is a step aimed at preceding the U.S. President elect Joe Biden. The territory is considered by the international community a settlement beyond the 1949 'green line' armistice agreement with Jordan.

Israel: Construction in East Jerusalem

Right wing Jewish protesters, supporters of Jewish settlement in the whole of the ‘Land of Israel’, demonstrate against, and accost, a European Union delegation led by the EU representative to the Palestinians, Von Burgsdorff, as the delegation tours controversial Givat Hamatos. Netanyahu’s government moved ahead on Sunday, 15th November, 2020, publishing a tender for building 1,257 homes in Givat Hamatos, in what some claim is a step aimed at preceding the U.S. President elect Joe Biden. The territory is considered by the international community a settlement beyond the 1949 'green line' armistice agreement with Jordan.

COVID-19: RECOVERY: Stores Reopen in Israel

Some 80,000 store owners return to work as government Corona Cabinet reopens street front stores following a nationwide lockdown in the wake of a second wave of COVID-19. Shop owners are required to implement the new norm of mandatory face masks, supervision over personal hygiene and social distancing. Closed shopping malls remain closed at this time.

COVID-19: BACK TO SCHOOL: Israel

Young children must once again endure the hardship of parting with parents as half a million school children return to in-person learning in grades 1-4 following a nationwide lockdown in the wake of a second wave of COVID-19. Classes will have an occupancy of up to 20 children and are required to implement the new norm of mandatory face masks, supervision over personal hygiene and social distancing.

COVID-19: RECOVERY: Stores Reopen in Israel

Some 80,000 store owners return to work as government Corona Cabinet reopens street front stores following a nationwide lockdown in the wake of a second wave of COVID-19. Shop owners are required to implement the new norm of mandatory face masks, supervision over personal hygiene and social distancing. Closed shopping malls remain closed at this time.

Domestic Violence Protest in Jerusalem

Womens’ rights groups protest domestic violence at the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, as violence against women surges with two murdered women, by their spouses, in the past week, peaking a trend in recent pandemic months. According to women's organizations a nationwide average of 60 complaints of violence against women are submitted to police daily and an average 20 women are murdered every year.

COVID-19: RECOVERY: Israel Eases Restrictions

Israel eases lockdown restrictions in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic and a second lockdown. Among cancelled restrictions are the 1,000 meter travel restriction from one’s home, thus enabling more Jewish worshippers at the Western Wall with partitions creating sections for up to 20 people.

Black Flags Protest Government Corruption

Anti Netanyahu activists protest government corruption and call on Netanyahu to resign and face justice in court for indictments of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. They further denounce a criminal defendant’s alleged attempts to manipulate legislation and abuse Coronavirus emergency measures to ‘hijack’ democracy for political and personal benefits.

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN: Jerusalem

Closed shops and deserted streets are evident in Jerusalem’s Old City during Israel’s second lockdown, which began 18th September, 2020. PM Netanyahu clarified lockdown will be in effect for at least a month as hospital Coronavirus wards around the country struggle nearing capacity. Israel has in recent days surpassed even the U.S.A. in Coronavirus deaths per capita.

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN: Jerusalem

Jerusalem’s Mamilla Mall is deserted as Israel’s second lockdown, which began 18th September, 2020, is enforced. PM Netanyahu clarified lockdown will be in effect for at least a month as hospitals around the country struggle nearing capacity. Israel has in recent days surpassed even the U.S.A. in Coronavirus deaths per capita.

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN: Jerusalem

Closed shops and deserted streets are evident in Jerusalem’s Old City during Israel’s second lockdown, which began 18th September, 2020. PM Netanyahu clarified lockdown will be in effect for at least a month as hospital Coronavirus wards around the country struggle nearing capacity. Israel has in recent days surpassed even the U.S.A. in Coronavirus deaths per capita.

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN: Jerusalem

Policemen and women enforce Israel’s second lockdown, which began 18th September, 2020, at the Jaffa Gate. PM Netanyahu clarified lockdown will be in effect for at least a month as hospital Coronavirus wards around the country struggle nearing capacity. Israel has in recent days surpassed even the U.S.A. in Coronavirus deaths per capita.

COVID-19: LOCKDOWN: Jerusalem

Closed shops and deserted streets are evident in Jerusalem’s Old City during Israel’s second lockdown, which began 18th September, 2020. PM Netanyahu clarified lockdown will be in effect for at least a month as hospital Coronavirus wards around the country struggle nearing capacity. Israel has in recent days surpassed even the U.S.A. in Coronavirus deaths per capita.

COVID-19: MEDICAL: Jerusalem

An ambulance driver evacuates hospitalized COVID-19 patients who no longer require intensive medical supervision to clear beds for new patients at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center as hospitals around the country struggle nearing capacity. Israel has as of today surpassed even the U.S.A. in Coronavirus deaths per capita.

COVID-19: BACK TO SCHOOL: Israel

2.4 million school children begin the school year in Israel in the shadow of COVID-19. Schools and educational methods have been adopted to Coronavirus circumstances implementing ‘capsules’ of no more than 18 pupils, some school days to be conducted from home via computers based on pupils’ age and capabilities and the new norm of mandatory face masks, supervision over personal hygiene and social distancing.

COVID-19: RECOVERY: Culture in Israel

Israel struggles to regain ‘normalcy’ and encourage domestic tourism in the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic opening the ‘Leonardo Da Vinci - The First Start Up Man’ exhibition in Jerusalem’s First Station. Government restrictions require screening visitors for fever at the entrance, wearing of face masks and a limited number of visitors to enable distancing. The exhibition celebrates the life of Leonardo Da Vinci, 500 years after his death, with reproduced artwork and a collection of models built by Prof. Giorgio Cegna, based on Da Vinci’s sketches.

COVID-19: TRAVEL: Israel Opens Skies

Departing travellers queue at check in counters in Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport as Israel eases air travel restrictions opening skies for Israelis to travel quarantine free to and from Greece, Croatia and Bulgaria and allowed back from 17 other countries without quarantine. Tourists will be allowed to arrive quarantine free from several countries defined ‘green’ and subject to reevaluation every two weeks.

COVID-19: POLITICS: Israel

Tel Aviv, Israel. 3rd August, 2020. A FedEx aircraft takes off from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International Airport above the tails of parked El Al Airlines planes. Credit: Nir Alon/Alamy Live News.

A hooded crow feeds on poultry bones.

COVID-19: SECOND WAVE: Israel

Police enforce a lockdown on the predominantly Jewish religious neighborhood of Romema in Jerusalem, as well as others in 5 cities nationwide, as the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases surges. A significant new outbreak of Coronavirus brings on reclosure of segments of the economy. Israel now ranked 7th in the world with 4,100 confirmed cases per million capita.

COVID-19: SECOND WAVE: Israel

Police enforce Coronavirus restrictions and mandatory face masks in public near the Jerusalem Central Bus Station as a significant new outbreak of COVID-19 brings on reclosure of segments of the economy. Israel now ranked 7th in the world with 4,100 confirmed cases per million capita. Use of mobile phone tracking technology by ‘Shin Bet’, Israel’s General Security Services, to direct citizens who have come in contact with virus carriers into 14 days of isolation, is coming under fire due to privacy concerns and to questions of its accuracy.