Yoav Limor

Yoav Limor is a veteran journalist and defense analyst.

It's not too late for a coronavirus war cabinet

Without an organized administrative apparatus to facilitate the best and most informed decisions – unnecessary mistakes will be made. Every commission of inquiry ever established here has reached this conclusion.

 

One of the cliches of war states that criticism is reserved for after the battle. "Quiet, we're shooting," journalist Amiram Nir succinctly put it in the early stages of the Lebanon War.

It's easy to understand the desire for unity, solidarity, a closing of the ranks in a time of crisis. It warms the heart to love our soldiers and officers, or in the current scenario, the nurses and doctors. It helps the comforted and comforters alike. From this perspective, Israel rises to its social best in times of crises.

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But the support for those on the front lines cannot mean withholding criticism – or at the very least questions – about the decision making processes. Not from political motivations (although these too aren't invalid in a democracy), but to improve the decisions that are made, or in other words: to save lives.

The country's leaders are treating the coronavirus pandemic, justifiably, as a war. There are those, chief among them the prime minister, who claim this is one of the most complex challenges the country, and perhaps mankind, has known. A global campaign necessitating multisystemic enlistment on an unprecedented scale to defeat the enemy.

It's hard to argue against this need. The morbidity and mortality statistics in the world (and certainly in Israel) perhaps don't support such deterministic conclusions, but as long as the crisis isn't behind us – the threat is clear and present. Which is why it's particularly hard to understand the conduct of the governmental authorities during the present crisis.

A month since it began, the questions are piling up. First, about what happened: the delay in purchasing testing kits, ventilators and protective gear; the irresponsible green light given to Purim celebrations, which all the experts say accelerated the infection rate; the failure to shut down public spaces in a timely fashion; and above all else – the delay in significantly increasing the amount of tests countrywide to better inform the measures being implemented. 

All this occurred when the crisis was knocking at our door. Now, after it has arrived, the questions aren't stopping. Where did the Finance Ministry disappear to, and why aren't solutions being presented to the millions of Israelis who will be finished by the economic situation if the virus doesn't finish them first? Why aren't taxes being frozen and payments expedited, and why aren't entire industries being saved – tourism, agriculture, manufacturing and mainly the self-employed – who are desperate for any tidings.   

War requires the entire country to lend a hand. The public is on board, evidenced by the empty streets and social distancing at the local grocery stores. More than a few state bodies are also in the fight: from the defense ministry and IDF who as usual have gone above and beyond; to companies, associations and non-profit organizations seeking to fill the vacuum and offer the public solutions.

In fact it's the government that has dragged its feet. There are no economic solutions (despite being promised), nor are there any answers, because the public relations  apparatus has been paralyzed. This past weekend, too, was rife with too many rumors and too little information. Countless reports and studies have taught us that in times of crisis the public needs ongoing and accessible information. 

The coronavirus is already here, yet the Health Ministry is still spearheading the decision-making process as if this were strictly a health issue.This is a mistake that requires immediate fixing, because the experts believe the apex of the crisis is still ahead of us. It's not too late to form a war cabinet; healthcare, economy, public relations, logistics, and a task force to handle the day after.

There are enough people with the necessary gravitas and experience to lead such an apparatus. It would enlist the most renowned experts in their fields and run a proper administration of the crisis. It will knock the various ministries and bodies back down to size, challenge their conclusions, formulate alternative recommendations that will be presented to the prime minister, and mainly – make sure the right steps are being taken without considerations of politics, budget, power or ego.

The fact that this isn't happening is a bad sign. Without an organized system and proper administrative work to facilitate the best and most informed decisions – unnecessary mistakes will be made. This is the main conclusion reached by every commission of inquiry ever established here, irrespective of the subject.

 

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