Following are excerpts from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks, today (Tuesday, 27 April), at the start of the Cabinet meeting:

"Following the Security Cabinet meeting, we made decisions – to prepare for any scenario. This is the directive that I and the Defense Minister have given and the IDF is indeed prepared for any scenario. Last night was quiet and I hope that that it stays that way. We are prepared for any development; I suggest that our enemies not test us.

“At the same time, the police and the security forces in Jerusalem are working to maintain public order and ensure freedom of worship. I think that there as well there has been a decline in the scope of the violations and this is positive, of course. We want to restore full law and order. We will fully enforce the law."

"The State of Israel is an example to the world in exiting from the coronavirus. Yesterday, I saw the various rankings on the foreign networks. We are ahead of all other countries vis-à-vis the rate of fully vaccinating our citizens and this is very impressive. We are all impressed by this and people are happy and are living their lives and holding their celebrations with great joy.

“Soon we will further ease restrictions of course. We have brought the additional vaccine doses in order to ensure that we will be able to continue exiting and that our economy – which is starting to grow again – will continue its impressive rise.

“We are ranked 19th among the 20 economies with the highest GDP per capita. Several years ago, as we enacted various reforms, people did not believe that we would get there but thanks to the free market economy that we enacted, we are getting there.

“Unemployment is going down and all of these are important achievements regarding both the economy and health and we want them to continue. We need to ensure that our achievements will not be turned back by the entry of deadly variants. Therefore, we are currently evaluating the necessary steps to stop entry from countries in which these variants are spreading and we also know that this is difficult. We are doing everything to prevent this and will make the decisions very soon.

“One of the countries in which the pandemic is spreading so brutally is our friend India. On behalf of all ministers and citizens of Israel, I would like to send our condolences to my friend, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and to the citizens of India over the tragic loss of life that is happening there.

“I have instructed the head of the National Security Council to render such assistance as may be requested. I hope that there will be an international effort, in which Israel is ready to be a full partner, to stop this tragedy. Even as we rejoice here, we still understand that large sections of humanity are suffering greatly. In any case, we are ready to help with whatever may be necessary."