Lockdown starting Friday | MK Naftali Bennett: Hammer's blow to hundreds of thousands of self-employed and unemployed - Inside Israel

Yamina chairman demands that Netanyahu formulate a clear plan to exit the quarantine.

Former Defense Minister and Yamina chairman Naftali Bennett responded to the government's decision to impose a general closure beginning this Friday.

"A hammer blow to the heads of hundreds of thousands of small, self-employed and unemployed businesses. A failure in leadership. What's needed is a clear plan to exit the quarantine," said Bennett.

MK Ofer Shelah (Yesh Atid) attacked Prime Minister Netanyahu's speech tonight, saying "All the smoke that Bibi is spreading will not help. Israel is in the worst position in the world, but everything is rosy and the others are to blame. This is not the way to buy back the public's trust. We will only end up suffering from unnecessary lockdown measures that won't solve anything."

"The government has led the country to the greatest administrative and leadership failure in its history. Amateurs and petty politics have so far. The government needs to present a plan for exiting the shutdown and assisting the self-employed," stated Yamina's Ayelet Shaked.

"And most importantly, I ask everyone to follow the guidelines. Even if you don't agree with them. Mutual responsibility is a must," added Shaked.

Minister of Energy Yuval Steinitz (Likud), was among those who supported the shutdown. "I welcome the brave and responsible decision on the closure. As someone who proclaimed two months ago that there was no escape from a general closure, I am glad that my colleagues in the Ministry of Health and government ministers finally reached the same conclusion: The only way of lowering the infection rate is general lockdown."

"Even though the move should have been made and would have already come to an end two months back, it's better later than never," added Steinitz.