Coronavirus

Police make arrests as Israelis take to the streets to protest against the government's ban on demonstrations, Tel Aviv, October 2, 2020. (Oren Ziv)

To fight its ‘war’ on COVID-19, Israel is turning citizens into enemies

To live with the pandemic, Israel will have to stop transforming civilian issues into matters of national security, says Israeli sociologist Yagil Levy.

By Edo Konrad October 22, 2020

Palestinian medical workers collect swab samples for COVID-19 tests in Rafah, Gaza, on October 1, 2020. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

Endless warnings of Gaza’s collapse are why we’re failing to prevent it

The strip's rehabilitation already demanded ‘herculean efforts.’ With the spread of COVID-19, action is imperative.

By Yara M. Asi October 14, 2020

Israeli Police and soldiers seen at a temporary checkpoint in Jerusalem, September 27, 2020, during the nationwide lockdown to prevent the spread of COVID-19. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Why are Israelis shocked when the army shows up at the Knesset?

The sight of soldiers policing protests outside the Knesset rightfully angered many. But in Israel's militarized society, this scene should not be surprising.

By Orly Noy September 30, 2020

Latest

Israelis take part in the ad-hoc 'Culture of Solidarity' group to prepare food deliveries for the second lockdown for underserved and impoverished communities across Israel, Tel Aviv, September 16, 2020. (Oren Ziv)

We’re on the precipice of disaster. Now is the time for solidarity

Those tasked with protecting the public have failed, leaving Israelis and Palestinians teetering on the edge as we head into a second lockdown.

By Edo Konrad September 25, 2020

A man checks the temperature of a customer to identify if he has a fever, in the northern Arab town of Deir al-Asad, April 18, 2020. (Basel Awidat/Flash90)

‘A glimpse into the chaos’: How Israel’s COVID-19 policy neglects Palestinian citizens

Israel's failure to conduct Arabic outreach and include Arab professionals has made it harder to stem the virus' spread in Palestinian towns, experts warn.

By Makbula Nassar September 21, 2020

A Palestinian uses a gas lighter while working inside his restaurant during a power cut in Gaza Strip, November 17, 2013. (Emad Nassar/Flash90)

Coronavirus is turning Gaza’s nights even darker

Besieged and bombed, Gaza has imposed a lockdown to stem an outbreak of COVID-19 — an unwanted guest that we are in no condition to host.

By Mohammed Moussa September 3, 2020

The first government conference of the new Israeli unity government, headed by Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz (not seen) at the Knesset, May 17, 2020. (Alex Kolomoisky/POOL)

Netanyahu is dismantling the Israeli ‘kingdom’ — and that’s a good thing

Netanyahu is tearing down the state's institutions, and in the process unmasking the sludge of seven decades' worth of racism and supremacism.

By Meron Rapoport August 31, 2020

Members of the Palestinian security forces enforce a full lockdown for 48 hours following the spread the of the coronavirus, Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, August 25, 2020. (Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90)

Human rights groups demand Israel allow fuel into COVID-struck Gaza

NGOs petition High Court to force Israel to open Gaza to fuel and other basic goods, after Israel closed its central commercial crossing in August.

By Orly Noy August 31, 2020

Palestinian workers from Hebron carry personal belongings as they cross through a hole in the Israeli security fence, after entrance into Israel was banned following the spread of the coronavirus, near the West Bank city of Hebron, March 22, 2020. (Wisam Hashlamoun/Flash90)

‘I’ve no idea how we’ll survive’: Pandemic pushes Palestinians into poverty

As the COVID-19 crisis wears on, Palestinians in the West Bank are struggling to make ends meet — and some local governors are taking matters into their own hands.

By Suha Arraf August 5, 2020

Demonstrators protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside the Prime Minister's Residence in Jerusalem on July 18, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Why are Palestinian citizens staying out of the anti-Netanyahu protests?

Jewish Israelis are only now waking up to the neglect and racism that have long defined our reality.

By Yaser Abu Areesha July 24, 2020

Bedouin families outside their homes in the village of Umm al Hiran, in the Negev desert, southern Israel, August 27, 2015. (Hadas Parush/Flash90)

‘Total poverty’: Bedouins in Israel struggle to get by under pandemic

The coronavirus crisis has worsened years of government neglect of Bedouins in the Naqab, forcing a once self-sufficient society into deeper destitution.

By Suha Arraf July 21, 2020

Young Jewish Israelis celebrate Jerusalem Day at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City, May 21, 2020, marking 53 years since Israel occupied East Jerusalem. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

‘How can a Palestinian feel a sense of equality in a Judaizing state?’

In a wide-ranging interview, Prof. Amal Jamal talks about the exclusion of Palestinian citizens from Israel's COVID-19 response, Netanyahu's consolidation of power, and the possibility of a different Israeli identity.

By Tom Mehager July 12, 2020

A man wears a face mask for protection from coronavirus as he takes the train to Haifa, on March 17, 2020. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)

For Israeli press, surveillance is only a problem when targeting Jewish citizens

Journalists were quick to condemn monitoring of COVID-19 patients in Israel but remain silent when that same technology is sold to repressive regimes.

By Eitay Mack and The Seventh Eye June 19, 2020