Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his senior advisors have entered voluntary quarantine as a precaution, as the country’s Health Ministry investigates conducts an epidemiological investigation into whether he has been exposed to COVID-19.
The move follows the announcement on Sunday that the Prime Minister’s aide, Rivka Paluch, tested positive for the virus, and amidst extensive negotiations to form a unity government with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz.
It has yet to be confirmed whether the Prime Minister had been in close contact with her recently. The precautionary measure to self-isolate came despite initial reports that they had not been in the same room for two weeks. Other reports suggest the Prime Minister may have been in contact with her last week during ongoing unity government negotiations.
In accordance with Health Ministry guidelines, many of the Prime Ministers discussions in recent weeks have been held via video-link from his residence.
Paluch, Mr Netanyahu’s senior advisor on ultra-Orthodox affairs, tested positive shortly after her husband was hospitalised with COVID-19.
The Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, has communicated with lawmakers and staff that they may have been in close contact with Paluch last week, after extensive analysis of security camera footage.
Israel has introduced an extensive series of measures to ‘lockdown’ the country, and as with the UK, and much of the world, many Israelis are in self quarantine due to possible exposure to the virus.
