The Corona Commission approved the exclusion of the restaurants from the restrictions

The Corona Commission on Tuesday approved the exclusion of the restaurants from the government order, and their continued activity includes sitting in closed spaces. This is contrary to the decision of the government. Eight members of the committee supported the opening of the restaurants, in front of three opponents. Blue and white were absent from the vote in coordination with the Likud.
The restaurants will now be able to open after they closed this morning, following the failure of contacts between Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and committee chairman MK Yifat Shasha Bitton. According to Edelstein's outline, which the ministers were supposed to approve last night, it was possible to allow restaurants to operate partially with up to 50 people, who would only sit in the open space - and not inside the restaurant. MK Shasha Bitton did not agree to restrict diners to sitting outside the restaurant only.
"I tried to reach an understanding with the government until the wee hours of the night, but unfortunately it did not work," Shasha Bitton said at the beginning of the discussion. "We realized at the meeting yesterday afternoon that they (the government) are ready to open the restaurants outside according to the purple mark," she added. "We asked for an opening inside the restaurants for 25% -35% of the occupancy. I agreed to give it up for a while, but they insisted that there would only be 50 people outside, and no more than that - and even that according to the purple mark. I do not know how to explain this insistence to the public and restaurateurs."
"We will not stop demanding that any of the guidelines that come out of the government have an orderly idea in order to harness the public to fight the virus. We are in a serious health crisis and without the public there is no chance that we will defeat it." Later, the committee will discuss the obligation to voluntarily evacuate Corona patients to hotels within a limited time, and the health system's readiness to treat the virus in winter.
Coalition chairman Mickey Zohar, who came to the committee discussion, said that "I think the opposition is pulling the committee chairman by the nose." Shasha Bitton replied, "Oh really, give me some credit." For restaurants to operate from now on, let's build an outline for the gyms, let's continue on the line we started with the opening of the pools and the sea. "Let's make informed decisions that come to the public and business owners and also responsibility to the public," he said.
The committee chairman said in response that “we have been here for a long time that the economy is open and ultimately we need to make the balanced decisions. I was more than happy to come up with an outline with the government that makes sense with the restaurateurs. "50 people outside are legally liable for closing the restaurants, we are not making a dramatic decision here - the committee as a whole continues the work of the restaurants according to the government's decision."
MKs Hila Shai and Zan and Einav Kabala of White Brush supported the government position and demanded more time for negotiations with the Ministry of Health. The two explained that they thought it was right to make a balanced decision that allows opening with sitting outside. "The line of either closing or opening is also incorrect. In terms of public health and also produces uncertainty for restaurateurs. Therefore, at the moment, it has been decided not to go to the polls, "said those around them.
Committee member MK Yulia Malinowski (Yisrael Beiteinu), who voted in favor of continuing the restaurants' activities, said that "we have reopened the restaurants in the hope that the government will bring an orderly outline with a compensation arrangement for restaurateurs instead of fighting ego games. The government should not fight with the Knesset and with the citizens and business owners. End of act in thought first - first you need to formulate an outline and only then bring an order that is based on common sense that takes into account both the health aspect and the economic aspect. We are in a battle of containment and we only want the public good. "
Throughout Monday evening, Shasha Bitton negotiated with the Ministry of Health to establish the same uniform purple mark - but the parties were unable to reach an agreement. The outline proposed by Edelstein came after last Friday the government approved imposing significant restrictions on the restaurant industry, which include a total ban on customer entry and the operation of a delivery service and self-collection only.
Initially, the government wanted to restrict restaurant activity starting last Friday, but after several restaurant owners in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Herzliya made it clear that they did not intend to comply with the restrictions, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed the closure of restaurants until Tuesday - the deadline expired this morning.

photo: Knesset chanel