The government's coronavirus czar, Prof. Ronni Gamzu, stated today that yesterday's government decision to impose a total lockdown In the whole country was taken against his wishes."My recommendation was to tighten the lockdown but not to lock down the entire country," he said. "However, the government decided otherwise, and the economic price will be immense."

Former MK donates kidney. "A great privilege and an unparalleled satisfaction."

MK Avigdor Liberman, head of the Yisrael Beytenu party, has sharply condemned the government for its decision last night to tighten the current lockdown."This crazy decision to impose a total lockdown tomorrow goes against expert opinion and is the result of having criminals head the government," he wrote In Twitter. "We have to move beyond this and provide hope to people," he added.

The Arab newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat has reported that the United States and Sudan have reached an agreement In Sudan's normalization of relations with Israel.In return, Sudan will be taken off the list of countries that support terror.

Full Knesset to convene at 3pm to vote on total lockdown

Speaking In Radio 103 FM this morning, Prof. Zeev Rothstein, director of Hadassah hospital, criticized the government for its plan to shut Ben Gurion airport to outgoing flights."This is a huge mistake," he said. "The airport should remain open and allow for people to come and go."Rothstein added that, "Israel is way down In the list of countries in terms of how well it has dealt with this epidemic. We don't deserve a medal for the way the crisis has been handled."

Minister for Heritage & Jerusalem Affairs Rafi Peretz said this morning that in his opinion, a total lockdown is absolutely necessary."The lockdown needs to be hermetic and immediate," he said, "with no exceptions granted. We cannot accept the fact that 30 people died in a single day. The plan for synagogues is balanced, even though it still remains advisable to pray outdoors In Yom Kippur, when indoor prayer in a restricted format is permitted."

The Sports & Culture Ministry has announced that it has reached an agreement with the Health Ministry that will allow international athletes to be excepted from the lockdown regulations, permitting them to continue training and competing throughout the lockdown period, subject to certain restrictions.