Against the backdrop of incitement against the haredi sector following vocal allegations of widespread defiance of Health Ministry directives, media consultant Itzik Elrov called on MKs Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman to break their silence and call on secular Israelis to 'hold fire' as he put it.
"The amount of hatred on social networks against the haredi public is extremely dangerous," Elrov posted to his Twitter account. "It's a matter of time before [we see acts of violence] against random members of the haredi public who will be the ones paying the price [for people's ignorance]."
"Lapid and Liberman, it's true that you have acted responsibly [by] not adding fuel to the fire. But [your] silence isn't good enough. You need to tell people that this is not the time for disagreement. You have the power to change things - take advantage of it."
Defense Minister Naftali Bennett toured Bnei Brak this morning, as the city faces widespread coronavirus eruption and sharp increase in those requiring isolation, medical care, and supervision.
Bennett visited the central coronavirus HQ, where he spoke via video chat with Mayor Avraham Rubinstein and met with Maj. Gen. Roni Numa, who was appointed to head the fight against coronavirus spread in the city. There the Minister heard about residents' needs and concerns, and local authority actions to deal with the virus' spread.
Bennett also spoke with Interior Minister Aryeh Deri, in charge of a campaign to safeguard the city of Bnei Brak, and visited several grocery stores and supermarkets to learn about the situation on the ground.
At the end of the visit, the Minister said: "The residents of Bnei Brak are exemplary. IDF soldiers will provide all the support to our brothers in Bnei Brak. The situation is complex, but to my delight, residents of Bnei Brak have done a great job of conforming to guidelines."