Israeli finance minister tests positive for COVID-19

By Zain Khalil

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli finance minister on Tuesday tested positive for coronavirus, two days after attending a meeting with officials including Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, state-run media said.

Hamed Amar, from the Yisrael Beytenu party, attended on Sunday a Cabinet meeting, according to KAN TV.

His office said he has been isolated and is following the ministry's affairs from home.

Amar is the second Israeli minister to test positive for the virus within a week, as Science and Technology Minister Orit Farkash-Hacohen was diagnosed with the infection on Aug. 22.

In the past two weeks, five Israeli lawmakers have contracted coronavirus amid the spread of the highly contagious Delta variant.

As many as 9,948 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours, the highest since January, despite over 60% of the population having been fully vaccinated.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara​​​​​​​