Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday night ahead called on the Haredi community to refrain from holding large gatherings over the Simchat Torah holiday that could spread the coronavirus.
"Take care, there should no dances on Simchat Torah. There is no greater desecration of G-d's name than if because of Simchat Torah we lose a life," Netanyahu told Haredi radio station Kol Barama radio.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
"Pray outside, keep the guidelines, and thus sanctify both the Torah and life."
''The Haredi public is dear to me, I love them very much. I saw the mobilization of the Haredi public during the first wave and the rabbis' calls to adhere to the directives. The Haredi public lives in greater density and that makes it more difficult, but it does not exempt us from trying harder… You should protect yourselves very carefully, follow the rules."
Netanyahu also referred to the "herd immunity" phenomenon, for which parts of the Haredi sector are supposedly aiming.
"There is no such thing as 'herd immunity,'" the prime minister said.
"Herd immunity means death to the herd. It is a death sentence for many thousands who will die. We have seen what is happening in other advanced countries that have gone this route."
He added: "No one is persecuting the Haredi sector and I will not let that happen. But on the other hand, there is no special treatment either. If there are concentrations with [a high rate of] infections then it does not matter if it is Haredi, religious, secular, Arab or Jewish, right-wing or left-wing. Everyone must abide by the rules, we aren't persecute any community, we are going after the virus and the disease," he said.
In the same interview, Netanyahu assailed the Blue and White Party over its demand to pass a budget for 2021 immediately.
''We agreed and enacted a law that the 2020 budget would be approved in December and at the same time the 2021 budget is being prepared. This is the law they approved and unfortunately Blue and White denies it. They should stop being an opposition within the government," he told Kol Barama.
''Their endless infighting is dragging us to the polls; it's time to stop with that. While they are busy with politics, I am busy around the clock fighting the coronavirus," Netanyahu added.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
