When It Comes to COVID, Israel Is Now Divided Into Two Countries
In Israel, as in New York City, authorities are struggling to put a stop to ultra-Orthodox mass events like the Simhat Torah celebration scheduled for tomorrow ■ Netanyahu paved the way for more protests, but the police are also paying the price
On the coronavirus map, Israel is currently divided into two countries: the ultra-Orthodox population, and all the rest. The national rate of positive results from all coronavirus tests has been declining for more than a week, from 15 percent at its peak to 9 percent on Wednesday. When the Haredim are removed from the calculation, the figure goes down to 7 percent. The phrase “not counting the Haredim” is one we’ll probably be hearing frequently in media discussions of the coronavirus figures in the coming weeks.