Israel Update 7.1.21

CORONAVIRUS IN ISRAEL

 

 (Last week’s figures in brackets for comparison)

 

There were 7820 (5253) new cases confirmed in Israel on Wednesday.  873(639) patients are in serious condition with 210 (165) on ventilators. Since the start of the pandemic, 3527 (3314) people have died from the disease. Israel will begin a tightened lockdown for at least two weeks beginning Thursday night. 1.53 million people have received the first of two shots of the Pfizer vaccine. Read more here

 

The ‘green passport” app will allow various benefits to those who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine. Read more here

 

Israel’s ultra-Orthodox community has recently accounted for over a quarter of all the new cases diagnosed, even though it makes up little more than 10% of the total population.Read more here

 

Mass indoor weddings were held in the ultra-Orthodox community in at least two locations Tuesday night, Beitar Illit, one of the country’s worst virus hotspots, and also Bnei Brak.  Read more here

 

ISRAEL’S VACCINATION PROGRAMME

 

Israel continues to lead the world in Covid-19 vaccination doses administered per 100 people in the total population as at 5.1.21 having vaccinated over 17% of the population.    Read more here

 

A delivery of 120,000 Moderna coronavirus vaccines landed in  Israel on Thursday. Read more here

 

240 Israelis were diagnosed with the virus days after receiving the first vaccination, emphasizing the need for individuals to continue to protect themselves for weeks after being inoculated, as the body takes time to develop effective antibodies. Read more here

 

The Israel Association for Care and Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities, (Shalva) on Sunday hosted a vaccination drive for people with disabilities, along with caregivers, therapists, and medical staff. Read more here

 

Israel’s four healthcare providers have been eager to ensure a strong vaccine supply in Arab areas, which have been particularly hard-hit by coronavirus. But the initial reaction was hesitant, and turnout low. Locals have therefore welcomed Israeli Jews who have made appointments in these areas for inoculation as their example is helping to boost the sluggish response to the vaccination drive among Israeli-Arabs. Read more here

 

East Jerusalem Arab residents constitute around 38% of the capital’s population. They do not possess Israeli citizenship but are covered by Israel’s four health management organizations (HMOs). However, only 20% of these residents aged 60+ have been immunised, compared with 60% of Jewish residents. HMOs lament the spread of conspiracy theories and fake news. Read more here

 

 

INCLUSIVITY

 

More than 1,000 Israeli Arabs volunteered to serve in the IDF in the past year, more than twice that of previous years. They included Muslims from Taibe, Qalansuwa and eastern Jerusalem, Bedouin from the Galilee, and Christian Arabs from the north. 450 new soldiers enlisted as scouts and fighters in the Bedouin patrol unit, while dozens more have joined infantry brigades and others are serving in the Border Police.4,000 possible volunteers expressed their interest online in joining the IDF this year. 700 were from Arab countries such as Lebanon and Syria and had to be declined due to security considerations. This year also saw a new willingness to enlist by Druze in the Golan Heights. Read more here

 

 

TERRORIST ATTACK

 

Rivka Teitel, 40, was in serious condition Sunday after being struck in the head by rocks thrown by Palestinians. Two of her children who were in the car were not injured. Israeli soldiers apprehended a number of suspects. There were 1,500 rock-throwing incidents by Palestinians at Israeli vehicles in 2020.  Read more here

 

COUNTER TERRORISM

 

The IDF thwarted a terror attack at the Gush Etzion junction when  a terrorist  armed with a meat cleaver was shot on Tuesday.Read more here

 

 

THE PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (P.A.)

 

The P.A. Ministry of Health dismissed reports by Israeli media that it had received Covid-19 vaccine from Israel. The ministry said it had rejected such offers and was actively seeking to purchase vaccines elsewhere, adding that the vaccines will become available in February. Read more here

 

 

The P.A. has reportedly handed over to Israel four suspects arrested over the weekend in connection with a shootout in an East Jerusalem neighbourhood that left three Palestinian residents dead and eight wounded. They were arrested in Ramallah after a manhunt that saw Israel give special permission for large numbers of armed P.A. police to enter the neighbourhood. Read more here

 

NORMALIZATION

 

The Abraham Accords were signed on Wednesday in Khartoum, setting the stage for Sudan to normalize ties with Israel.Read more here

 

The General Secretariat of Morocco’s Islamist Justice and Development Party on Sunday decided to support King Mohammed VI’s decision to normalize relations with Israel. Read more here

 

INTERNATIONAL DEFENCE

 

Israel and Greece are set to sign a wide-ranging $1.68 billion security agreement that includes the procurement of 10 M-346 (Lavi) aircraft and the establishment of a flight school for the Hellenic Air Force by Elbit Systems. Read more here

 

Israel Aerospace Industries has successfully tested its Medium-Range Surface-to-Air Missile air- and missile-defence system in India. The system can shoot down enemy aircraft at a range of 50-70 km. and is intended to replace India’s aging air-defence systems.    Read more here

 

Israel’s Elbit Systems announced Wednesday that it has been awarded a $24 million contract by Holland to supply the Royal Netherlands Army with new vehicle tactical computers, upgrading the equipment provided by the company over a decade ago. Read more here

 

 

Israel has delivered the second of two Iron Dome Defence System batteries to the U.S. Army. The first battery was delivered in September.Read more here

 

The Trophy Active Protection Systems (APS) ordered by the U.S. Army for installation on Abrams main battle tanks have been delivered by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.     Read more here

 

 

MEDICAL

 

A team of Israeli surgeons successfully completed the first-ever repair of a fracture in the floor of an eye socket using augmented reality (AR) and three-dimensional technology. The surgery, was led by Prof. Samer Srouji of Galilee Medical Centre’s Centre for Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in partnership with doctors from Sheba Medical Centre. Read more here

 

Doctors in Europeand Israel have begun using a medical gun that spins out a protective web to cover burns and wounds. Israeli company Nanomedic has designed the SpinCare system which helps patients recover without the need for painful bandage changes.The translucent layer allows medics to examine the wound without touching it.  Read more here

 

 

FOOD TECHNOLOGY

 

Israeli company Hargol FoodTech has developed a farm system for sustainable grasshopper protein production, pioneering the commercialization of grasshopper farms.Hargol’s grasshopper protein powder contains more than 70 percent protein and includes essential amino acids with zero saturated fats and cholesterol.  Read more here

 

 

FACIAL RECOGNITION TECHNOLOGY

 

Intel on Wednesday introduced RealSense, a facial recognition tool developed in Israel that provides secure and accurate facial authentication for point-of-sale and ATMs. RealSense adapts over time, meaning that users could grow facial hair or adopt glasses and the system would still authenticate the right person. It also works in complete darkness and strong sunlight. Read more here

 

 

Preciate’s technology facilitates shopping payments using facial recognition.The company’s Pay by Face kiosk system is already in use in several restaurants at the Azrieli Business Centre in Holon, Read more here

 

INDIA

 

The consulate-general of Israel to South India, based in Bengaluru, donated tablets to 100 children on Monday. The tablets came pre-installed with instructional material to help underprivileged children in rural Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.Read more here

 

COMMENT & OPINION

 

Lahav Harkov: AP, PBS, and the Guardian, among others, have been spreading the libel that Israel is denying the Palestinians Covid-19 vaccines.Yet, as the Guardian story admits, the Palestinian Authority has not asked for help from Israel. The Jerusalem Post reported two weeks ago, “The Palestinians do not expect Israel to sell them, or purchase on their behalf, the vaccine from any country….The Palestinians will soon receive nearly four million Russian-made vaccines against Covid-19.” Read more here

 

Seth J Frantzman: Israel is not “excluding” Palestinians from its vaccination programme or discriminating between its own Jewish and Arab citizens. The Palestinian Authority administers health care to its own citizens and has not asked Israel to vaccinate its public; nor has Hamas, which runs Gaza.  Read more here

 

Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman: Nine reasons why Israel leads the world in vaccine distribution. Read more here