Defense Minister and leader of Blue and White party Benny Gantz speaks to Yamina leader Naftali Bennett during a special session of the Knesset whereby Israeli lawmakers elect a new president, at the plenum in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in Jerusalem June 2, 2021. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

JNS.org – Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has asked Israeli citizens this week to avoid non-essential travel overseas in light of the Delta variant of the coronavirus infection rates.

Speaking on Tuesday from Ben-Gurion International Airport, Bennett said a localized outbreak of the coronavirus in the town of Binyamina originated from a family that returned from a holiday in Cyprus.

“It’s possible to give up on the vacation” for now, he said.

He also called on getting children ages 12 and up vaccinated before the current batch of  Pfizer vaccines in Israel’s possession expires. Bennett further advised Israelis to wear masks again in closed spaces.

Earlier on Tuesday, Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz released a joint statement announcing that they would rapidly set up a new mass testing tent at the airport to test hundreds of people simultaneously for COVID-19.

“The defense establishment will continue to assist the health system and every national mission that is required,” said Gantz. “The war against the coronavirus is not behind us, but with the help of determined, rapid action, we will maintain a low level of infection, and we will win this fight, too.”