Already under extreme popular disdain for what his critics say is the gross mishandling of the fight against the coronavirus and its related economic crisis, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu poured new fuel on the fire when he reduced his “corona cabinet” – a select subset of cabinet ministers who advise him on issues related to the pandemic. The prime minister summarily dismissed several high profile ministers in order to reduce the committee from 16 to 10. It did not escape notice that among the six who were removed were the only two women on the cabinet: Transportation Minister Miri Regev, a close confidant of the PM, and Meirav Cohen, the social equality minister. Coming simultaneously with new legislation, the revised corona cabinet will be able to make “executive decisions” that have the effect of law without legislative oversight. According to a government statement, the corona cabinet will be focusing on economic issues rather than matters associated with the science of COVID-19. Meanwhile, the latest report from medical officials shows the nation drawing perilously near to a 10% infection rate. A model developed at Tel Aviv’s Sourasky Medical Center predicts that there will be 500 patients in serious condition within two weeks.
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