Israel's coronavirus czar on Wednesday slammed a prominent Haredi leader for calling on students of religious institutions across the country not to get tested for COVID-19.
Ultra-Orthodox news outlet Kikar HaShabbat reported earlier that Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, a leading adjudicator in the Lithuanian ultra-Orthodox movement, instructed heads of yeshivas to refrain from further testing of their students as it could lead to a closure of the institutions.
"Rabbi Kanievsky's statements are endangering the ultra-Orthodox community amid an ongoing pandemic," Prof. Ronni Gamzu said.
He added that without increased enforcement of public health regulations and encouragement of testing, the country's leaders will be required "to make complex decisions that may amount to imposing a nationwide lockdown."
According to the latest data, over 800 students studying at yeshivas and yeshiva-like institutions have tested positive for coronavirus over the past three days alone.
United Torah Judaism member, MK Yitzhak Pindros, later criticized Prof. Gamzu for his comments, suggesting the czar doesn't "get involved in what has proven to work for thousands of years," adding that those who take advice from their elders never fail.
"Gamzu's comments since he assumed the position only helped to worsen the virus' infection rate, hopefully, he will find more success managing a hospital," he said, referring to the fact that Gamzu is the CEO of Tel Aviv's Ichilov Medical Center.
Prof. Gamzu's comments came during a visit to the predominantly ultra-Orthodox settlement of Beitar Illit, which the Health Ministry classified as "red", indication an exceptionally high infection rate.
Despite its categorization as "red", most of the settlement's educational facilities opened up on September 1 as usual, in clear violation of the Health Ministry's orders.
"We are standing at an infection rate of 14% and the responsibility for this is in your hands," Gamzu said. "We need the full cooperation of municipal authorities and its leaders, and I am sure the residents will follow all rules and regulations. A quick return to normalcy is only up to you - through adherence to regulations, to keep you and your families safe."