Business owners revolt: They intend to keep the stores open this weekend

Despite the restrictions on weekend activities, which were announced as part of the fight against the spread of the virus, business owners are making it clear that they intend to keep the shops open. This is in light of the position of the Ministry of Health, whose leaders claimed that there were no point in the restrictions.
The Shops and Malls Forum announced yesterday that it has decided to order all shopping centers and stores that used to work on Saturday - to operate as usual. In their announcement, the members of the forum accused the "ultra-Orthodox elements in the government" of leaving the restrictions in place and postponing the decision. "The issue has become religious coercion and has nothing to do with attempts to stop the epidemic," they accused. "Unfortunately, once again we are encountering shallow politics that radically undermines the people's trust. We will continue to maintain the purple mark and the health of our customers as on weekdays. The corona does not only appear on Saturdays!"
Yaakov Peretz, CEO of the Inter Jeans Group, which owns 70 clothing stores, is one of the supporters of the move. "Our position is to open. "As long as there is coercion called political coercion and it is not coercive coercion, we open," Peretz said. "They also open on Saturdays. These are employees who we have to take care of for their livelihood."
"I see this as political coercion because it is not just religious in the picture, there are more ministers," he stressed. "The fact that we are open all week, so what, I only stick on Saturday? I actually open the stores in complexes that will be open. I very much hope that once we all understand that due to technical concern there was no committee to vote because of Tisha B'Av, then we understand it can be opened."
In a telephone poll conducted by the government yesterday on the possibility of repealing the restrictions imposed on the weekends, it was decided to continue them today. Prior to the telephone poll, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a meeting with Health Minister Yuli Edelstein and Health Ministry Director General Prof. Hezi Levy, who presented the position of Corona projector Prof. Roni Gamzo and the ministry that restrictions on malls and shopping centers should be lifted. We do not impose a full closure. "
Following the decision to continue in the current format, today at 17:00 the restrictions of the weekend for the fight in Corona will take effect until Sunday at 05:00. During this time, shops, malls, retail markets, libraries, hairdressers and beauty salons will be closed.