Fr Ibrahim: As COVID-19 sows ‘fear and confusion’, Israeli schools close, curfew is imposed

Some 40 areas, inhabited mostly by Arabs and Orthodox Jews, are placed under a curfew. Gatherings sparked a spike in cases, 3,000 in a single day. Five more people have died, including a Christian. For a friar with the Custody of the Holy Land, the authorities appear to be in a crisis mode. In Israel, schools close after only one week. In Bethlehem and Jericho, they remain open.

Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - In Israel, there is "fear and confusion”. Unlike March, when political leaders appeared to be in charge, now they seem at a loss as to how to manage the coronavirus pandemic.

For Fr Ibrahim Faltas, from the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land and director of Terra Santa Schools, the “row between the governing parties" in Israel is contributing to the prevailing "uncertainty".

In the meantime, people continue to die. “Today, we celebrated two funerals, one for a 72-year-old man who died of COVID-19,” Fr Ibrahim said.

“Yesterday, almost 40 localities were declared red zones and locked down, including Jerusalem, where we have various of schools which we had to close after only one week,” he said.

Today, pupils "did not come to school, but studied from home, through the Internet. I did the round of the schools and met only teachers; students were all linked via the web.”

“In addition to imposing the red zones, a curfew is in place from 7 pm to 5 am. In Israel, the number of cases is up, whilst the situation in Palestine seems better for now. In fact, schools in Bethlehem and Jericho are operating regularly.”

Yesterday, the Israeli government ordered restrictions on some 40 cities, towns and neighbourhoods, inhabited mostly by Arabs and Haredi (Orthodox Jews), where most of the new cases were reported.

In Arab areas, the restrictions are designed to prevent large gatherings for unauthorised marriages; in Haredi areas, the goal is to prevent people from coming together in prayer groups.

In the last 24 hours, some 3,496 cases were reported bringing Israel’s total to 139,013 cases. About 43,000 people were tested, with 8.1 per cent testing positive. With the latest five deaths, the death toll has risen to 1,048.

“In Jerusalem we managed to keep the schools open for just a week,” the Franciscan friar said, “but as of yesterday everything is shut down again, from kindergarten to high school.

“With more than 3,000 new cases every day, there is widespread fear. Even in the first week, some parents kept their children at home, for fear of contagion.”

In addition, “there is widespread uncertainty. Directives seem to be changing by the hour. There is confusion and chaos. Fortunately, e-learning works and allows us to continue schooling.”

• israel
• palestine
• holy land
• schools
• COVID-19
• coronavirus
• pandemic
• lockdown