In 12 days, on Sept. 1, Israel’s schools are slated to open a second school year during the coronavirus pandemic. This time, in addition to wearing face masks and learning in small groups, middle and high school students will have access to COVID-19 inoculation sites in their schools. Children over the age of 12 will be able to get vaccinated with parental approval in schools. The government hopes large numbers of pupils will get vaccinated, allowing for a school year without any closures.

This step was authorized Aug. 19, when Health Ministry Director-General Nachman Ash signed a special directive for vaccination sites in schools. The unusual directive was needed to circumvent Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton who led a determined stand against inoculating children in schools, even in light of the fact that the fourth coronavirus wave is spreading all over Israel.

The Health Ministry directive came shortly after an especially tense Cabinet meeting Aug. 16. Shasha-Biton was on one side and Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, with Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz (Meretz) on the other. According to the media outlets, Bennett lost his patience, raised his voice and accused Shasha-Biton and the CEO of her ministry of interfering in the success of the school inoculation operation. He slammed them by saying, “You should be the ones to lead the vaccination bandwagon of the youths, and instead you do nothing to help!”

The minister and her CEO reiterated their stance, saying, “We have no problem with vaccinations. We are just against vaccinations during school time. We don’t think that school principals and district managers need to deal with these kinds of things.”