Hundreds of ultra-Orthodox residents of Jerusalem demonstrated Sunday against the closures imposed on their neighborhoods after a steep rise in coronavirus cases.
The protesters clashed with police as they tried to break through the barriers placed around their communities, calling the forces Nazi's and anti-Semites and claiming they were being treated like African Americans are in the United States.
Some of the demonstrators voiced criticism of members of Knesset from the Haredi parties claiming they have turned their backs on their constituents and called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign.
Some of the demonstrators voiced criticism of members of Knesset from the Haredi parties claiming they have turned their back on their constituents and called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign.
The demonstration took place despite the PMs announcement earlier in the day that he would be meeting on Monday with the ultra-Orthodox ministers in his cabinet and MK's from religious factions, to hear their concerns and try to find solutions to the claim that their communities were unfairly sanctioned by health officials who have deemed their neighborhoods hotspots for COVID-19 contagion as well as accusations of police brutality when enforcing closures.
One demonstrator told Ynet that the financial crisis some families are suffering from, leads them to risk death from the virus rather than face hunger.
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Ultra-Orthodox residents of Jerusalem protest lockdown
(צילום: מחאת החרדים הקיצוניים)
"We will not support Netanyahu again," he said, "I used to be a staunch supporter but now I am reconsidering my future positions," he said.
The man also spoke of his disappointment in his parliamentary representatives whom he said have abandoned him and his neighbors. "[Housing Minister Yaakov] Litzman and [Interior Minister Arye] Deri's neighborhoods were not put under lockdown," he said.
On Friday Litzman and Deri met with Minister of Public Security Amir Ohana to discuss what they claimed was over enforcement of regulations requiring the wearing of masks.
Ohana told senior police commanders to instruct their forces to enforce regulations with compassion and consideration after lockdowns in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods were announced.