A person who was on Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s flight back from the United Arab Emirates has tested positive for COVID-19, the prime minister’s office stated on Tuesday.

Bennett and all members of his entourage were already in a three-day quarantine on Tuesday, required for all travelers returning from abroad, and will be tested for COVID again on Wednesday, following the routine COVID tests they underwent at Ben-Gurion upon arriving back in Israel.

Despite the quarantine, upon arriving in Israel on Monday evening, Bennett went straight from the airport to the Knesset, where he sat in the “isolation gallery” (in the visitors’ section) since his vote was needed in the plenum. The coalition, which at its best has a razor-thin majority, is currently missing the vote of Yamina MK Shirly Pinto, who gave birth last week. Opposition members have refused to offset her absence

Defense Minister Benny Gantz was also forced to come straight to the Knesset from Ben-Gurion after arriving home from his trip to Washington. Improvised offices, including beds, were set up for Bennett and Gantz, who had to spend the night in the Knesset as the session didn’t end until early Tuesday morning.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)