Huge Stone Mountain sculpture not one that can just be toppled.
Israel ordered thousands of people into quarantine after a contentious phone surveillance program resumed while Palestinians in the West Bank returned to life under shutdown as coronavirus cases escalate.
A statement Sunday from Israel’s Health Ministry said “many” messages had been sent to Israelis after the renewed involvement of the Shin Bet domestic security agency. The Israeli daily Haaretz reported more than 30,000 people were notified they must enter quarantine since Thursday.
After imposing strict measures early on during a first wave of infections, Israel and the Palestinian territories appeared to have contained their outbreaks. But an easing of restrictions led to a steady increase in cases.
Israel last week redeployed the Shin Bet to use its sophisticated phone surveillance technology to track Israelis who have come in contact with infected people and then notify them that they must enter home quarantine. Civil rights groups have denounced the tactic as an assault on privacy.
In the West Bank, residents have been ordered since Friday to remain at home unless they need to purchase food or medicine. The shutdown is expected to last five days.