"Citizens of Israel, happy holiday. First, on behalf of all of you, I would like to express deep sorrow over the passing of former Chief Sephardic Rabbi Eliyahu Bakshi-Doron, of blessed memory. Rabbi Bakshi-Doron died of coronavirus last night. He was a symbol of tolerance, love for his fellow man and love of Israel. I remember our meetings with great warmth and the appreciation I had for him, his personality and his leadership.

In normal times thousands would have accompanied him on his final journey but these are not normal times. The members of his family and his loved ones very strictly observed the directives on the matter – a small funeral. For this I thank them. I send them my condolences.

There is no respite in the global and national war against the coronavirus. A mighty battle is being waged here between the chances of success and the risk of failure. I would like to share with you one detail that the government of South Korea recently published: It said that 91 people who recovered from the coronavirus were diagnosed again as sick. We are checking this. If it is correct, the reality is far more complex that than we formerly believed because it would seem that immunity to the virus is not automatic immunity. It could be that the virus can reawaken and cause infection in wide circles.

Therefore, we must all continue to be very cautious. We must not let our discipline slacken. This would be human; this is natural, but in the war against the coronavirus there is no choice.

I must tell you that we have had great success in this war. Israel is ranked among the safest countries in the world in all indicators relative to its population. I will give you one example: Several weeks ago, at the height, we had a 22% daily increase in the infection rate. Today we are at 4%; the rate of infection is constantly improving, and it is relatively low, in comparison to most countries. This also holds for the mortality rate, the proportion of those who are seriously ill, and the proportion of those who are on ventilators. There is a ventilator for whoever requires one. This also holds for our number of tests per capita. But if we backtrack prematurely from the necessary and essential steps, we are liable to pay a very heavy price in human lives.

There are centers of coronavirus outbreak to which we are providing special treatment. I mean certain neighborhoods in Israeli cities on which we have imposed various restrictions regarding entry and exit.

Our public attention is also focused on retirement homes and assisted living facilities for the elderly. I want you to know that throughout Europe and the US retirement homes have become the main challenge. In France, almost 5,000 people have died in retirement homes. This is a shocking number and our hearts go out to them and the citizens of France. Even though with us the number of retirement home residents who have died is relatively much smaller, 40 people, we grieve deeply over the passing of everyone, and we are struggling to lower these numbers by as much as possible.

Therefore, in consultation with the Health Minister and the Director General of the Health Ministry, I have appointed Ichilov Hospital Director General and former Health Ministry Director General Dr. Ronni Gamzu to be responsible for dealing with retirement homes. Prof. Gamzu will – by the weekend – submit to me and to the team of ministers a detailed and comprehensive plan for dealing with retirement homes. This includes procedures, evacuation to quarantine, procurement, personnel and many other relevant areas.

Another center that we have dealt with is Ben-Gurion International Airport. You know that Israelis want to return home and they know why. We are allowing this and are helping them to return home, including the dispatching of special planes. But many of the returnees are coming from countries heavily infected with the coronavirus, which is almost the entire world. Therefore, I and the Cabinet approved a clear and unequivocal procedure that will now be strictly carried out. Whoever enters the country by air will be immediately quarantined in a designated hotel.

Dear citizens of Israel, our ability to respond quickly and flexibly to the coronavirus challenge is arousing appreciation in many countries. In many areas Israel has become the model, and we are learning some of these things from other countries. But many countries have been dilatory in taking the necessary steps and are paying a very heavy price in human life. The war on the coronavirus is a dynamic struggle and we are updating and sometimes also correcting ourselves on the fly. At the same time, I add that every new problem is not necessarily a lapse. We are dealing with problems better than most countries. While criticism is necessary and permitted in democratic countries, there is much exaggeration in this regard.

We are active all the time and we are making corrections all the time. I am also evaluating myself without respite, and I am making corrections. On the first night of Passover, I was at home with my wife and our son Avner. Avner is here for many hours every day; he sleeps meters away from here, in an adjacent apartment within the secure compound of the Prime Minister's Residence. Even so, I know that this has aroused public criticism. From my perspective, it would have been proper to be stringent on this matter as well, as I was regarding the quarantine that I took upon myself before the authorities told me that I had to self-quarantine. In any case, we must all adhere to the instructions that I intend to pass tonight at a Cabinet meeting.

Tomorrow, the eve of the last day of Passover, at 17:00, and until 05:00 on Thursday, you must remain within the boundaries of your cities and communities, and if this is in neighborhoods in Jerusalem, within the neighborhood area. You are requested to celebrate the last day of Passover and Maimouna among the family members who are with you now, as it was on the first night of Passover. After the holiday you can go out and buy food and medicines in your communities. The bakeries and supermarkets will open on Thursday morning. We will instruct the police to prevent gatherings at supermarkets and bakeries. I remind you that on Maimouna, Thursday, we will prohibit, as we are doing now, gatherings of any kind in parks, gardens and public places.

I want to tell you I will also miss this. For decades I have celebrated the joy of Maimouna with you, this great joy of color, of the mufleta, of the celebration together. This warms the heart and it has become the holiday of the entire people. But this year it must be different, in the reduced family circle.

I know that alongside the health challenge, there is also a great economic challenge. Previously, in the two major economic crises of this millennium, I succeeded – with your help – in moving the Israeli economy on to great achievements. We emerged from the crises and the Israeli economy flourished. It is my intention, together with you, to do this again. We have already formulated the economic plan. The immediate economic aid is underway. But we are currently preparing an economic plan for a gradual and responsible exit from the economic lockdown of the corona crisis.

Before the weekend, we will formulate a final Cabinet decision on the next steps regarding both the economy and the education system. I know that you are preoccupied with both of these things, and rightly so. In any case, even if we decide on gradual exit steps, these steps will be slow and responsible. We are looking at everything: The self-employed, businesses, the unemployed, and all of the infrastructures that are important to us in industry, services and small businesses – all of these things. We are looking at all of them and we are trying to integrate them in a correct and responsible plan for a gradual exit from the crisis.

I tell you from here that we will emerge into a different routine from that which we knew before the global crisis because many things will change. Life will change, as will society to a certain degree, work, [and] technology, as is now happening all over the world. And again, I cannot over-emphasize that even if the coronavirus is in retreat, there is no guarantee that it will not return. The virus is liable to attack again; there have already been such things in the world. Therefore, cautious steps will gradually be taken in the country and around the world until a coronavirus vaccine is found. Until a coronavirus vaccine is found, we are in a single reality. Only when a coronavirus vaccine is found will we be able to move on to the world of tomorrow, which will be like the world of yesterday. But this is not the situation at the moment; therefore, everything will continue to be managed responsibly in order to protect the most precious thing we have – life itself.

At the same time we are investing great efforts, this evening as well, including during the entire day, in establishing a unity government, and if it is possible – this very evening. We hope that we will succeed. Even if this does not happen by midnight, we will do everything, as soon as I conclude my remarks, to move forward on this and finish this. We will continue to make every effort to achieve the unity that the country needs so much at this time.

Citizens of Israel, before the seventh day of Passover, I again wish you a healthy holiday, a kosher holiday and – to the extent possible – a happy holiday.

From the depths of my heart, I thank the medical crews, the doctors, the nurses, our dear soldiers, the security forces and all of the volunteers who are showing exemplary humanity and good citizenship.

On the last day of the holiday, we mark the miracle of the splitting of the sea, which symbolizes our ability to do the most difficult things. This is also difficult, like the splitting of the sea; together we will overcome and defeat the coronavirus."