Litzman disobeyed health rules before contracting coronavirus - report

The health minister reportedly did not follow the rules and restrictions which the health ministry announced before he tested positive for coronavirus.

Ya'acov Litzman (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Ya'acov Litzman
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman, who has tested positive for coronavirus, did not obey the guidelines released by his own ministry before contracting the illness, Israel's N12 reports.
According to eye witness reports, Litzman did not follow the instructions released regarding physical distancing to protect oneself from the novel coronavirus and consequently became ill with it.
Litzman additionally did not take part in critical Health Ministry meetings on the guidelines and restrictions, according to Kan News. According to the report, he instructed that law enforcement's harsher guidelines in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods be delayed by a week, with the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
"I spoke with [Litzman] twice and he is well," said Health Ministry director-general Moshe Bar Siman Tov, according to Kan. "His symptoms are not bad and I wish him well."
He additionally claimed that during the conversation, Litzman told Bar Siman Tov that he had followed all of the Health Ministry guidelines.
The Blue and White Party, which is currently in the midst of negotiations with the Likud Party to form a unity government, is reportedly attempting to replace Litzman as health minister with Blue and White MK Gabi Ashkenazi, according to Kan. If this does occur, Ashkenazi reportedly plans on "rebuilding" the ministry.