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While many businesses across the country, including barbershops and beauty parlors, opened Sunday morning after the government lifted some coronavirus restrictions, others remained shuttered, outraged by the alleged disparity in regulations.
Israel's coronavirus cabinet last week voted to partially reopen the education system and allow "one-one-one" treatments at barbershops, beauty salons and massage parlors. Despite the insistence of the Finance Ministry, commerce industry, including street shops, will remain closed.
"It's not fair. There is no one to give us solutions. I am going through the worst agony of my life and I'm not young," said Aviva Dolberg, who owns a clothing shop.
Dolberg said that her landlord still expects her to pay rent as usual despite having her livelihood taken away by the lockdown and that she has been taking loans with extremely high interest rates to make ends meet. She also said the government is yet to provide her with any financial aid during for the loss of revenue.
Yelena Zinger, whose beauty parlor is located next door to Dolberg's store, opened on Sunday. She said she feels there is no logic behind the new directives and that it is driven by political games.
Yoav Aroubas, the owner of a barbershop in Tel Aviv, told Ynet that although his business was shuttered for a month and a half, he also did not receive aid from the government, criticizing its messy conduct.
"It's impossible to figure out what we are supposed to get, if get anything at all. We're trying to come to terms with it, but it's tough," he said. "I would have expected an orderly plan before going into lockdown, which was relatively planned out... this made barbers work from home and customers leave for other barbers."
Craft and Industry Association CEO Ravit Gross spoke to Ynet on Sunday and pleaded with the government to avoid another lockdown.
"We welcome the reopening of barbershops and beauty salons, but at the same time, this lockdown has fatally damaged many businesses that did not survive," Gross said. "There are a lot of people, single mothers and underprivileged populations, who have said they will not survive the second lockdown - and they have closed down. It is a fatal blow."
"I am listening to the pain of the business owners. They are sitting at home trying to find a way… businesses will not survive another lockdown. We ask the state to keep small businesses open, they will not survive."
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Israel Katz on Sunday once again demanded from the government to allow street shops to reopen.
"It is time to make a decision and open street shops this Tuesday," Katz wrote on Facebook. "The need exists and is justified as infections also decline. The Health Ministry's insistence is unnecessary, baseless and leads to anarchy and a lack of supervision, which will only increase infection. We must locate other sources of infection and enforce [the regulations] there."