JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s government on Monday unveiled an 80 billion shekel ($22 billion) economic aid package to help weather the coronavirus crisis and the finance minister said he expects a gradual return of business activity after the Passover holiday next month.
Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon said the government would spend 70 billion shekels in addition to 10 billion already promised to boost the healthcare system, welfare services and to assist the private sector.
Israel’s economy has been struggling under tight government restrictions that require most Israelis to stay at home, and Kahlon said the number of job seekers has jumped to about 1 million.
(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Tova Cohen)
