Day: April 4, 2020
COVID-19 in Israel
As COVID-19 spreads around the globe, different states face different challenges based on their diverse domestic situations and healthcare systems. On April 3, the Middle East Institute hosted a panel discussion on “COVID-19 and the Healthcare Systems in Israel.” The discussion featured two speakers:
Henriette Charcar: Editor and reporter, +972 Magazine
Ran Goldstein: Executive director, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel
Khaled Elgindy: Senior fellow and director, Program on Palestine and Palestinian-Israeli Affairs, MEI, moderated
Lara Friedman: President, FMEP, moderated
Current context
Charcar stated that more than 7,000 people tested positive in Israel. Thirty-nine people have died and more than 350 have recovered. The Israeli government has forced people to shelter at home and stipulated that they cannot move more than 100 meters away. The Ultra-Orthodox city, Bnei Brak, is under closure. Wearing face masks is mandatory in public since last Wednesday.
Goldstein points out that Benny Gantz is using coronavirus as a reason to break promises to the people who elected him and turn to Netanyahu to form a coalition. The Israeli government plans to start its exit plan loosening restrictions after a week and a half because the infection curve has slowed down.
Government response
Charcar believes that the government is taking advantage of this public health crisis to utilize surveillance technologies and impose illiberal polices with little push-back from the population. In the Knesset, the Likud party used Health Ministry restrictions to shut down the parliament for several days. Amir Ohana, from the Likud party, used COVID-19 as an excuse to shut down the court that had postponed Netanyahu’s trial. Additionally, Netanyahu gave power to Shin Bet, the Israel Security Agency, to use surveillance measures against both Palestinians and Jewish Israelis. Charcar emphasized that human rights organizations face research restrictions and cannot track violations because of the COVID-19 crisis.
Goldstein indicated that asylum seekers were not aware of the pandemic at the beginning. The Ministry of Health was negligent. For instance, the ministry didn’t translate everything relating to pandemic protection and prevention into Arabic.
Charcar added that the virus exacerbates existing tensions in Israel, rather than creating something new. She listed the drawbacks that the Ministry of Health exposes in this pandemic crisis:
- Delay in publishing information and instructions in Arabic and other languages
- Gaps in provision of medical care
- Unequal access to services and financial assistance
Marginalized communities
Goldstein indicated that migrant workers, refugees, asylum seekers, LGBT populations, and Palestinians with permits to stay in Israel don’t have health insurance. Some people from marginalized communities don’t want to transfer their information to the government and therefore avoid going to hospitals.
Charcar demonstrated that the Bedouins in Israel are at risk because they live in unrecognized villages. They don’t have access to public infrastructure, including sanitation systems and paved roads that ambulances can drive on. As schools closed and switched to online learning, half the Palestinian students lacked computers or internet access.
Ultra-Orthodox communities are also vulnerable because they are slow to accept self-isolation due to public prayer sessions. Goldstein added that ultra-Orthodox Jews’ living condition, such as a 10-15 family size, makes it hard for them to follow health instructions. Charcar thinks that women have a greater burden of responsibility during the crisis because they need to take care of children, elders, and their jobs. Domestic violence and inaccessibility to mental health services expose them to a huge challenge.
Charcar concluded that although tensions are ongoing between communities, the pandemic doesn’t discriminate. A new pattern has emerged: vulnerable communities are relying on each other and establishing support networks. Goldstein believes that taking care of the marginalized is in Israel’s interests. Any long-term remedy is relating not only to public health, but also to Israel’s democracy.
Here’s the video for this panel discussion:
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Stevenson’s army, April 4
– TR’s great-grandson says that his ancestor, forbidden by the Army to withdraw his Rough Riders from Cuba in 1898 despite rampant yellow fever and malaria, wrote a letter published in many US newspapers that forced the Army to relent.
– President Trump, who still has not filled Inspector General slots at DoD, HHS, Education, Treasury, and CIA now wants to fire the DNI IG, who told Congress about the Ukraine whistle blower.
– Jared Kushner’s ignorance exposed.
– Former SecState [and many other posts] Jim Baker suggests an “American” way of dealing with the pandemic.
Entertainment note for those sheltering in place: BBCs Culture in Quarantine
Library of Congress film archive
British theatre on line
My SAIS colleague Charlie Stevenson distributes this almost daily news digest of foreign/defense/national security policy to “Stevenson’s army” via Googlegroups. I plan to republish here. To get Stevenson’s army by email, send a blank email (no subject or text in the body) to stevensons-army+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You’ll get an email confirming your join request. Click “Join This Group” and follow the instructions to join. Once you have joined, you can adjust your email delivery preferences (if you want every email or a digest of the emails).
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