44 Middle East & Africa
Sp~ pray and keep ten feet away~ ttibutes more than $1.obn to the Saudi
economy. Pilgrimages are the kingdom's
largest source of revenue after oil.
Coptic churches in Egypt have suspend-
ed most activities. Instead of holding one
large mass they plan to conduct several, to
limit crowds. The .MaronitechurchinLeba-
non ordered priests to hand communion
wafers to worshippers, instead of placing
themontheirtongues. Holywaterhas been
replaced with hand sanitiser. In Jerusalem
the Western wan. the holiest site where
Jews are permitted to pray, islargelydesert-
ed. Rabbis have uqed the faithful not to
kiss the stones.Qomonb'an
The outlier has been Ir.m. It has the third-
highest number of confirmed cases of the
virus, behind only China and Italy. Yet for
weeks it refused to close the bustling
shrines in Qom, a holy city that is the cen-
tre of its outbreak. When the authorities
shut them at last on March 16th, small
crowds broke through the doors in protest.
A few other congregations have been res-
tive: a mass in Ajaltoun, a village in the
mountains north-east of Beirut, had to be
halted when worshippers complained
about the changes to communion.
Most have accepted them with equa-
nimity, though. some even find small
cause for amusement. The new ta.boo
around social contact is alien to many in
the region, used to clasping hands or kiss-
ing on the cheeks. But it is old hat for con-
servative Muslims, who avoid physical
contact with the opposite sex. Instead of
awkward innovations like the elbow bump,
they greet as they always have: a hand on
the heart, a sllgbt bow of the head. Not
eveiything has changed. •The Economist March 21st 2020Israeli polltlcsBibi and the virus
JER.USALEM
Binyamin Netanyahu vows to save Israel from awid-i.9. But his rival has been
asked to form a goveinmentB
INDMIN NETANYAHU, Israel's prime
minister for the past u yean, is never
one to waste a crisis. In recent days he has
used his televised briefings on the covid-19
pandemic to short the leader of the oppo-
sition, Benny Gantz, to join an emergency
unity government-under Mr Netanyahu,
of course. The prime minister seems unde-
terred by the failure of his coalition of
nationalist and religious parties to win a
majority in the parliamentary election on
March 2Jld (see chart), or by the chaqes of
bribery and fraud that he faces.
on March 16th Mr Gana was given the
first shot at forming a government, having
received theendorsementof61membersof
the u.o-seat Knesset ([srael's parliament).
He vowed to uformanational unitygovem-
ment, as broad as possible, within days•.
But his allies are united only in their desire
to replace Mr Netanyahu. They indude Yis-
rael Beiteinu, a Jewish nationalist party led
by Avigdor Lieberman, and the Joint List,
an alliance of ADb-majoiity parties that is
now the third-biggest bloc in the Knesset
They are unlikely to sit in government to-
gether. Even some in Mr Gantz's own party,
Blue and White, oppose agovemment that
is supported by Arab lawmakers.
Mr Gantz's preference would be to form
a unity government that indudes Mr Net-
anyabu's Likud party. MI extend my elbow,ft
said Mr Gantz, referring to new guidelines
baninghandshakes.ButMrNetanyahuhas
always insisted that, if the premiership
were to rotate between them, he should go
first. Mr Gantz and his colleagues are loth
to accept this proposal as they believe Mr
Netanyabu would not abide by the deal.
Moreover, they think he will use his posi-
tion to try to shield himself from legal ac-
tion. Mr Gantz could try to pass legislation
preventing a politician facing criminal
charges from forming a government. But
right-wing politicians might accuse him of
sabotaging the effort to fight covid-19.
The outbreak in Israel has given the ne-- Until next time
gotiations a sense of urgency. There have
been over 400 confirmed cases but no
deaths yet. Israel is refusing entty to all for-
eigners. Citizens returning from abroad
must self-quarantine for :14 days. sehools
and restaurants have been ordered to dose,
and indoor gatherings of over ten people
are banned. Thegovemmenthasalsot.aken
the controvenial step of using mobile-
phone surveillance technology, normally
reserved for counter-terrorism operations,
to track virus-carriers. By designating the
move an ftemergency measure~ Mr Netan-
yabu was able to bypass the Knesset.
A more comprehensive response, in-
volving emergency funding. will be diffi-
cult to implement without a new govern-
ment or oversight committees in the
:Knesset. Yet on March 18th the speaker of
the Knesset, Yuli Edelstein, a Likudnik, ad-
journed the body for .five days. Mr Gantz,
backed by a majority, had been trying to re-
place Mr Edelstein and form the commit-
tees in a way that reflected the minority
status ofLikud and its allies.
Mr Netanyahu accuses Mr Gantz of
practising "small politics" at a time of na-
tional emeqency. But the same accusation
has been levelled attbe prime minister. His
critics claim that he delayed the order to
quar.mtine American visitors to Israel be-
cause of pressure from the administration
of President Donald TrUmp, and that he de-
lays the publication of public-health or-
ders until his own televised briefings, so
that he can strike the pose of a leader. •A
small group of officials are really doing the
hard work,» says a minister.
Mr Netanyahu's trial, originally due to
begin thls week, has been pushed back to
May 24th. some have viewed this as a polit-
ical decision-made by judges, but under
pR!SSure from the justice minister, a Net-
anyahu appointee. Mr Gantz, upon accept-
ing the mandate to form a government,
spoke of"illegitimate efforts by the current
prime minister to evade justice•. •lsners Knesset. number of seats by party, March 2020 election, l20 total seats
Partl• 111ppo,_g Benny Glntz(81) +I+ Partl• 111pportlng Blnyamln Netlnyahu (58)1
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·i"f i(^1) Blue & Whita 1J
Labour-Merell 8
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Ylsniel Beltelnu 7 Gesher 1
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