Knesset approves COVID-19 Safety Net program as outbreak spreads

Government now able to offer a rapid budget, but as COVID-19 spreads, it’s feared the country may lose NIS 40 b.

By HAGAY HACOHEN
Jerusalemites wearing face masks for fear of coronavirus walk on Jaffa road in the City Center of Jerusalem on July 12, 2020. Israel has seen a spike of new COVID-19 cases, cabinet ministers imposed new restrictions on public gatherings in a bid to stem the rising infection rate of the coronavirus (photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
Jerusalemites wearing face masks for fear of coronavirus walk on Jaffa road in the City Center of Jerusalem on July 12, 2020. Israel has seen a spike of new COVID-19 cases, cabinet ministers imposed new restrictions on public gatherings in a bid to stem the rising infection rate of the coronavirus
(photo credit: OLIVIER FITOUSSI/FLASH90)
The Knesset approved the COVID-19 Safety Net program championed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday with 67 MKs voting in favor. The Knesset also approved the new COVID-19 aid law with 65 MKs in favor. Shas members abstained, as it lacked Interior Minister Arye Deri’s initiative to include food coupons meant to help the nation's poor maintain food security during the outbreak, Kan tweeted on Tuesday evening.  
The legislation is met with fears that the country is headed into another lockdown as numbers of coronavirus infected patients climb and health services report an increasing strain on their resources. Demand for coronavirus tests increased by 400%, yet production capacity only increased by 50%, News 13 reported, citing health officials. Another lockdown will cost the nation NIS 40 billion even if it is limited to only two-thirds of the country.        
The legislation allowed the government to change Basic Law: Budget for the third time this year and it will now be able to submit a rapid budget by year’s end.  
Blue and White voiced objection to the proposed 6-month budget, preferring instead a budget that will be effective through 2021.  
Netanyahu argued that in such conditions of uncertainty, there is little sense to plan ahead.  
The prime minister tweeted on Tuesday evening that further aid will be provided “to Israeli families” and that he “instructed an increase in the budget, jobs and employing extra manpower" to help health services.  
From early reports on the yet unpassed budget, it nearly doubled the aid given to self-employed people and businesses with NIS 31.7 b. and roughly tripled the funds allocated to the National Insurance Institute of Israel (NIII) with NIS 12.2 b.