Demands to Close Schools in Israel After Rise in COVID-19 Cases

Kindergarten teachers and others wear face masks as they protest against the government plan to reopen kindergartens and schools for young children, as the spread of the coronavirus continues, at Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, Israel, April 30, 2020. Reuters/ Amir Cohen
Kindergarten teachers and others wear face masks as they protest against the government plan to reopen kindergartens and schools for young children, as the spread of the coronavirus continues, at Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, Israel, April 30, 2020. Reuters/ Amir Cohen
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Demands to Close Schools in Israel After Rise in COVID-19 Cases

Kindergarten teachers and others wear face masks as they protest against the government plan to reopen kindergartens and schools for young children, as the spread of the coronavirus continues, at Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, Israel, April 30, 2020. Reuters/ Amir Cohen
Kindergarten teachers and others wear face masks as they protest against the government plan to reopen kindergartens and schools for young children, as the spread of the coronavirus continues, at Rabin Square, Tel Aviv, Israel, April 30, 2020. Reuters/ Amir Cohen

In light of the recent spike in COVID-19 infections in tens of schools and kindergartens across Israel, and an Education Ministry decision to shutter 17 preschools and schools, Ran Erez, chairman of the Secondary School Teachers Association, demanded the closure of schools across the country.

Erez told 103FM Radio he has demanded that the government move to halt physical studies at school and resume online courses.

He said teachers were now acting as police officers to make sure that students respect the precautionary measures imposed by the government.

However, Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Education Minister Yoav Gallant said that only schools with three or more students diagnosed with the virus should be shut down.

“Any school that is found to have an active case of coronavirus will be closed immediately to stop its spread among education institutions, Gallant said.

A report published Monday by the Education Ministry showed that there were 13 new students and teachers diagnosed with coronavirus in the last day and that the number of those in isolation tripled.

According to recent data, thousands of students, teachers, and staff are now quarantined at home for being in the vicinity of an infected person.

On Monday, Israel announced that 206 students and school staff members were confirmed to have contracted the virus in the past week, 70 percent of whom are from Gymnasia Rehavia, the Walla website reported.

In mid-May, the Prime Minister decided that the educational system should return to full operation on in most of the country, after some two months during which Israeli children were ordered to stay home.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Israel jumped Monday to 16,987, according to the Health Ministry.

It represented 53 new cases over the previous 24 hours, including 33 serious cases.



Georgian Opposition Leader Arrested after Fourth Night of Protests

Protesters shoot fireworks toward police during a fourth day of nationwide protests against a government decision to shelve EU membership talks in Tbilisi early on December 2, 2024. (AFP)
Protesters shoot fireworks toward police during a fourth day of nationwide protests against a government decision to shelve EU membership talks in Tbilisi early on December 2, 2024. (AFP)
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Georgian Opposition Leader Arrested after Fourth Night of Protests

Protesters shoot fireworks toward police during a fourth day of nationwide protests against a government decision to shelve EU membership talks in Tbilisi early on December 2, 2024. (AFP)
Protesters shoot fireworks toward police during a fourth day of nationwide protests against a government decision to shelve EU membership talks in Tbilisi early on December 2, 2024. (AFP)

Georgian police arrested a prominent opposition leader early on Monday after using water cannon and tear gas to scatter anti-government protesters who rallied outside parliament for the fourth straight night.

The protests were sparked by the government's announcement last week that it was suspending talks on joining the European Union. Critics saw that as confirmation of a Russian-influenced shift away from pro-Western policies, something the ruling party denies.

The Coalition for Change, the country's largest opposition party, said in a post on X that Zurab Japaridze, one of its leaders, had been arrested by police whilst leaving the demonstration.

Footage showed Japaridze being placed in an unmarked vehicle by masked police. It was not clear if he would be charged with any offence.

The United States and the EU have voiced alarm at what they see as democratic backsliding by Georgia, a country of 3.7 million people that lies at the intersection of Europe and Asia and was once part of the Soviet Union.

Russia denies interfering in its neighbor, but former president Dmitry Medvedev warned on Sunday that Georgia was "moving rapidly along the Ukrainian path, into the dark abyss", adding: "Usually this sort of thing ends very badly."

On Sunday night, protesters gathered again in Tbilisi on the central Rustaveli Avenue. Some tossed fireworks at police, who responded with volleys of water cannon and tear gas.

"I'm here for a very simple reason, to defend my European future and the democracy of my country," one of the demonstrators, Nikoloz Miruashvili, said.

Police eventually ended the standoff by moving demonstrators away from the parliament building.

INJURY TOLL MOUNTS

Georgia's interior ministry said 21 police officers had been injured during the overnight protest, with 113 hurt since the beginning of the unrest. Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the opposition of "coordinated violence" aimed at overthrowing the constitutional order.

Dozens of protesters have also been injured since the latest demonstrations began, and the United States has condemned what it called the excessive use of police force.

President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-EU figure who backs the protesters, said many of those arrested had suffered head and face injuries as a result of beatings.

"This is the revolt of an entire country," she told French news group France Inter.

Hundreds of diplomats and civil servants have signed open letters protesting the decision to suspend talks with the EU and stop receiving any funds from the bloc for four years. At least four Georgian ambassadors have resigned.

Ilia Topuria, a martial arts fighter with a major following in the country, wrote in an Instagram post: "I am opposed to the decision to terminate our accession negotiations to the European Union. I am ashamed to see how the children of Georgia are treated. This is not called freedom."

Zourabichvili has called for pressure to be brought on the Constitutional Court to annul elections won by the ruling party, Georgian Dream, in October. Both the opposition and Zourabichvili say the poll was rigged.

Zourabichvili, whose powers are mainly ceremonial, says she will not leave office when her term expires this month because the parliament that will choose her successor is illegitimate.

The election commission says the vote was fair. Prime Minister Kobakhidze on Sunday said Zourabichvili was reacting emotionally to the opposition's election defeat and would have to leave the presidential palace at the end of the month.

Tension in Georgia has been building for months as the ruling party has passed laws on "foreign agents" and on curbing freedoms. Georgian Dream says it is acting to defend the country's sovereignty against outside interference and prevent the West from dragging it into a war with Russia.