When the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic hit the Middle East, many countries around the world turned to Israel as a positive role model of how to manage the spread of the virus. But its reputation for pandemic response rapidly declined after the first wave. Today, the Jewish state is struggling to combat the spread of the virus. These issues have further been compounded by government inefficiencies, which have resulted in two nationwide lockdowns, the opening and closing of businesses, public confusion, and seemingly endless protests. Going forward, Israel needs to address two key issues: the ongoing ineptitude of its government and the lack of public adherence to its COVID-19 policies and craft a clear and cohesive approach to curtailing COVID-19 in conjunction with the public.
When the coronavirus pandemic first hit Israel in late February, the country responded quickly with hardline measures. The Israeli government barred outside travelers from entering the country in early March and introduced social distancing requirements across the nation. Leadership also instated an extensive lockdown which reduced infection rates but drastically impacted the economy and instigated a rise in suicide. In May, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prematurely stated that Israel had succeeded in defeating the virus. Once infection rates began to fall, the government rushed to reopen the economy and loosen restrictions, allowing businesses and schools to reopen and gatherings in crowded spaces once again. This caused a steep rise in infections, which snowballed into a second wave of the pandemic. Despite a second lockdown, imposed in September, Israel continues its fight against the pandemic’s spread, with a third lockdown currently in progress, which is set to severely damage the economy and people’s livelihoods. Forecasts now suggest that the beginning of 2021 will be an incredibly bumpy road for Israelis.
The public has grown increasingly discontent with the government and its continued inefficiencies. Many have blamed the government’s ineptitude and ongoing political infighting for its inability to contain the virus. Over the last two years, the country’s political system has been weakened and fissured by tensions between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz. This rivalry has resulted in three separate national elections. In April, Gantz begrudgingly agreed to establish a coalition unity government, led by Netanyahu, to speed up COVID-19 relief and response efforts. However, due to ongoing infighting, the unity government failed to accomplish its primary goals. Just recently, the coalition government collapsed after the parliament could not pass an annual budget. As the country heads for its fourth election in less than two years, Israelis are growing frustrated at the government’s incompetence in managing the virus and the country.
In October, thousands of Israelis took to the streets in Jerusalem to protest Netanyahu’s handling of the coronavirus crisis and ongoing corruption charges he is facing. In particular, Israelis are struggling to come to terms with the devastating impact the virus has had on the country, especially considering Israel is a small state home to a high-quality healthcare system, advanced institutions, and a robust and innovative technology sector. There have been reports of police brutality at these protests, sparking further discontent. The government’s slow pandemic response has revealed the limitations of its bureaucracy. It has taken days, if not weeks, to make decisions such as whether to institute curfews, send students back to school, and offer coronavirus testing at the main airport, leaving Israelis in limbo. Some experts predict that the government’s indecisiveness coupled with Netanyahu’s ‘out of touch’ sentiment with business owners will undermine his credibility in the upcoming elections.
Additionally, Israeli citizens have demonstrated a growing unwillingness to adhere to government established policies. Reports have revealed numerous unmasked protesters across the country and underground weddings, prom parties, and other large gatherings, which have undoubtedly contributed to the virus’s increased transmission. This public disobedience is partly due to growing mistrust with the government after the first lockdown and pandemic fatigue.
During the early parts of 2020, the world looked to Israel as an example of how to properly mitigate the spread of the coronavirus. However, as the second wave hit the country, the government failed to respond adequately, and a large portion of citizens refused to adhere to government policies. As the Jewish nation faces the grim reality of the third wave and lockdown, Israeli lawmakers must put aside their political differences and come together to create a comprehensive, clear, and cohesive pandemic response strategy. If Israel fails to do so, it will take time to regain public trust.
