MK Uri Maklev (Degal HaTorah) attacked the media on Tuesday in the Knesset plenary for portraying a false picture of the Chareidi community as blatantly violating Health Ministry regulations by singling out and focusing only on the fringe elements of the Chareidi community while ignoring other communities who violated the regulations.

“The Chareidi community is adhering to the Health Ministry’s instructions in everything regarding preventing the spread of the coronavirus,” said Maklev. “The media highlights anomalous incidents that occurred at the same rate in the general community.”

“Yesterday and two days ago, all the media outlets barraged the public with images of what’s happening in the Chareidi community. I want to inform you: The Chareidi community is strictly adhering to the regulations.”

“There are very rare exceptions and unfortunately these very rare incidents are intensified by the media at the same time that the general population was at the parks and beaches no less.”

“It’s not easy in a society where the community life is very very dominant, it’s not easy in a society where the community activity is very dense, where people live in crowded conditions.”

“The city of Bnei Brak is the densest city [in Israel]. When 12 people live in 70-80 meters or 7 people in 50 meters, then, of course, the percentage of infection is much greater. We see that one patient infects the family and the fact that the percentage is three times or four times more is because there are more patients from the same family.”

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)