Child benefits paid out to 1.25m families, 40,000 businesses

PM Binyamin Netanyahu reported that the promised coronavirus benefits and payouts had been deposited on Sunday to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts, for  three million children and another installment,with more to come, for 40,000 businesses.

In a joint news conference with Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Coronavirus Director Prof. Ronni Gamzu, Netanyahu was asked about the prospect of an early election over the budget dispute with his coalition partner,Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who insists on a biennial budget. “A state budget for the rest of 2000 right now is of the utmost urgency for driving the economy,” the PM said. “It is ready to table at once. And then the cabinet crisis will go away along with the threat of an ill-timed election.” He added that he had instructed all the ministers to work on long-term plans for economic recovery.
Prof. Gamzu advised against the over-hasty easing of restrictions and closures, although the coronavirus infection graph is coming down, he said,  in all sectors of society. “If we all stick to the health rules – masks, social distancing and hygiene – we may get past the worst of the pandemic in time for families to celebrate the High Festivals together,  said Gamzu.