Intel: Pompeo, Netanyahu talk coronavirus on Passover

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chatted by phone on Wednesday, the first day of Passover.

State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus said that the two leaders “discussed ongoing efforts to contain and mitigate COVID-19. They also discussed Iran’s destabilizing behavior and the unwavering US commitment to Israel’s security.” 

Israel has not yet released a readout of the phone call.

Why it matters:  The United States has the most confirmed coronavirus cases in the world with nearly 435,000 infections and nearly 15,000 deaths to date. Israel has also been hard hit by the pandemic, with nearly 10,000 recorded infections and 79 deaths. In the meantime, the Israeli public is under severe movement restrictions. The Israeli government instated a curfew for the first night of Passover to ensure that people did not congregate.