FM Gabi Ashkenazi has told Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz he will be leaving the party if it continues in "its current form."Journalist Yuval Karni said a formal announcement is expected in the coming hours.

650,000 have received first of 2 doses of Pfizer vaccine. Infection rates still rising.

Government officials admit that "thousands of people have been ordered into quarantine unnecessarily."

The NY Times reports that officials in the State Department, including outgoing Sec of State Mike Pompeo are considering designating Cuba as a "terror-sponsoring" state. According to the report, this would make it increasingly difficult for the incoming administration to renew diplomatic ties with Havana.

Half of Israelis back imposing tougher lockdown, while half oppose further restrictions, new poll shows.

Over the past day, 3,052 fines have been handed out for lockdown violations and Ministry of Health guidelines violations, 1,544 of which were given for leaving the place of residence for an unauthorized purpose and 1,266 for failure to wear a mask in public.In addition, 73 fines were given for breaches of quarantine and 92 for violations of business restrictions imposed In companies.

MK Yulia Malinovsky of Yisrael Beytenu told Radio 90 that her party is attempting to create an anti-Netanyahu bloc composed of Yamina, Lapid's Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu, Ron Huldai's new party, and Sa'ar's New Hope ahead of the coming election campaign.

15 individuals infected with coronavirus were discovered Inboard an Israeli passenger plane making its return trip from the UAE today.