Ministers voted on Tuesday to raise fines for opening educational institutions in violation of health regulations from NIS 5,000 to NIS 10,000 - half the sum approved by the Coronavirus Cabinet - after ultra-Orthodox lawmakers protested.
As part of the measures to curb the spread of coronavirus, the entire education system has been shut down in all sectors, apart from preschools and elementary schools.
During a meeting of the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) ministers insisted that the increased penalty singled out their community since most violations of health directives have been recorded in ultra-Orthodox institutions.
Several MKs, egged on by United Torah Judaism co-leader Moshe Gafni, have threatened on Monday their parties will break with the coalition and vote against the bill in Knesset.
Ministers also agreed that the NIS-5,000 fine for opening businesses and holding mass gatherings, such as parties, conferences, ceremonies, festivals, and shows in violation of health regulations will be increased to NIS 10,000 instead of NIS 20,000 as proposed originally.
The Health Ministry reported Tuesday evening that 513 new cases of coronavirus have been diagnosed since midnight, putting Israel's total caseload at 316,411.
The death toll from the pathogen rose to 2,592.
Out of the 9,890 patients currently battling the disease, 392 are in serious condition, among them 171 patients on ventilators.
With 25,026 tests conducted by Tuesday evening, the national infection rate remained relatively low at 2.04%.