Covid-19: Israel imposing third national lockdown

Jerusalem - The restrictions will come into effect on Sunday evening and last for 14 days.

Israel will impose a third national lockdown to fight surging Covid-19 infections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, as the country pursues a vaccination campaign.

The restrictions will come into effect on Sunday evening and last for 14 days, pending final cabinet approval, a statement from Netanyahu's office said.

They include the closure of shops, limited public transport, a partial shutdown of schools and a one-kilometre (two-thirds of a mile) restriction on travel from home, except for commuting to workplaces that remain open, and to purchase essential goods.

Such measures will cost Israel's economy about three billion shekels (Dh3.4 billion) a week, the Finance Ministry said.

"This closure will erase us. We passed two, now the third will kill us. To hell with it," said Ovadia, a fruit stand vendor in a Tel Aviv market. He declined to give his full name.

The economy is expected to shrink 4.5 per cent in 2020, though the Bank of Israel has said the contraction could reach 5 per cent should the Covid-19 crisis prompt more curbs. In November, the jobless rate stood at 12 per cent. The economy is projected to grow as much as 6.5 per cent in 2021 and possibly faster - if the pandemic is contained.

But public anger has risen over the government's perceived inconsistent handling of the crisis, and Israel will hold an election on March 23, its fourth in two years, after constant infighting in Netanyahu's coalition.