JERUSALEM, Oct. 8 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli cabinet extended on Thursday regulations that limit anti-government protests, citing a need to limit gatherings amid a COVID-19 resurgence.
In an overnight conference call, the ministers approved a one-week extension of the emergency regulations until Oct. 13.
The regulations restrict rallies to a 1,000-meter radius of the participants' homes and in groups of no more than 20 people.
"These restrictions were set in order to reduce traffic in the public sphere and prevent contacts and gatherings as much as possible ... in order to curb the spread of the virus," the cabinet decision read, noting they are part of a three-week nationwide lockdown imposed on Sept. 18.
The regulations, first approved on Sept. 30, effectively ban the weekly rallies held outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's official residence in Jerusalem, in which thousands of Israelis have been demanding the long-time leader resign for his mishandling of the COVID-19 crisis.
With almost a quarter of Israel's labor force unemployed, Netanyahu and his government are facing growing public anger over their failure to halt a second resurgence of the coronavirus and the ensuing economic crisis.
The protesters also say Netanyahu should not serve as prime minister while facing a criminal trial on corruption charges in three separate cases.
Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing, labelling the allegations as part of "a witch hunt" against him. Enditem
