1,336 shares Israelis shop at the market in Ramle, central Israel, that is partially closed due to coronavirus restrictions, December 23, 2020. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Health Ministry early Thursday announced a third national lockdown to take effect Sunday in order to curb a resurgence of COVID-19. The new lockdown will begin Sunday at 5 p.m. and last for at least two weeks. The restrictions will be extended for an additional two weeks if morbidity rates do not decrease significantly. The closure was announced in a joint statement from Netanyahu and the Health Ministry. It said the government had agreed to the restrictions “in principle,” but that the full list of regulations was still awaiting final approval from government ministers.