An international ranking released on 1st April placed Israel as the safest country in the fight against corona. Certainly, it may be that there is a decrease in the rise of new cases in the Holy Land, but it is too early to be optimistic.

On the economic front, the economy is struggling to avoid shutdown mode. It is an accepted fact by most that Israel has not had a strong Minister of Finance for about 18 months. Unemployment has now shot up from 4% to over 23% in a month, but it can be argued that is an effect to be found around the world.

What does really irk me is what I wrote earlier today on Facebook

We all know of somebody who has been laid off, took a salary cut etc.

We have yet to hear of politicians taking a pay cut. In fact, I hear that MKs even got a pay rise from 1.2.20. And guess what? They can’t even meet at their place of work. So what are thy doing all day?

The Israeli government has allocated a massive amount of money to small businesses through loan schemes etc. I have spent much of my time this week explaining to clients why they may not be eligible for help or how slowly the sums might come through. But that pay rise….

One last question. It seems that we may have a new Israeli cabinet / government by next week. These get-togethers of men in suits have been as bloated as a fat whale in recent years. Do you think we have seen any sign of their numbers being cut?

But that pay rise….

Yesterday, I heard a story of a bakery that had ben barely surviving by making deliveries. A small boutique outfit, it employs about four people. The local council turned up without warning, deemed the premise to be an unnecessary business and closed it down on the spot!

That means that all four people are to be added to the jobless total. The owner has to throw out a week’s supply of raw materials. And as the business is relatively new, the loan schemes probably do not apply to him. For good measure, unlike other countries like Australia, there are no grants to keep staffed in employment.

The good news? The powerful men in suits (and a few token women) around the government table will still have their cakes at their next meeting.