The Marker, Gili Melnicki, 17.03.2020

Following a nightly hearing at the Prime Minister's Office, and after Netanyahu's announcement last night that businesses in the private sector would be required to reduce their activity by 70% and ensure limited activity without crowds, it was decided to deviate the construction industry from the manpower restrictions imposed on the economy. This is at the request of the Minister of Construction and Housing, Dr. Yifat Shasha Biton, and the Association of Contractors, who claim that such a slowdown will cause long-term damage to the construction industry.

Meanwhile, the entry of Palestinian workers employed in the construction industry into Israel was approved. Includes accommodation visas.

Since the beginning of the Corona crisis, the Ministry of Construction and Housing has been working to enable the continued activity of the construction industry, despite the uncertainty and fears of the reality created. As part of this, the Ministry worked to prevent damage to the scope of the labor force in the industry, and to promote an arrangement whereby the accommodation of Palestinian workers in Israel will be approved, in order to allow continued construction in the event of a closure. In addition, the Ministry characterized the components of industrial production that must be preserved, such as factories and mining sites, quarrying, cement production, block production, gravel, steel, etc., in order to exceed the restrictions imposed on the entire economy.

The construction and housing ministry said: "We are in close, day-to-day contact with the contractors' association to make sure that the activity of the industry does not hurt. We will take whatever action it takes to ensure that it remains in the challenges we are still facing down the road."