"Any yeshiva student who disregards restrictions will be deported "Gamzu:

Israel’s new coronavirus czar Ronni Gamzu spoke in an interview with Army Radio on Sunday morning and hit back at criticism of his time in charge so far and to the government's decision to leave the partial closure intact over the weekend, as well as the plan to fly thousands of yeshiva students to Israel during the High Holidays.

"Any change of restrictions can not happen within 24 hours," Gamzu told host Efi Triger. "All changes will come this week for examination and then a decision. Our desire is to do things quickly, but by no means recklessly. I will encounter political interests but the professional line will lead. I will not allow the public to be endangered because of all sorts of (political) interests. The issue of yeshiva students entering the country was decided before I started in my role. Believe me, if a decision is made to put them in capsules, there will be inspectors who will make sure they do not disregard the health restrictions. Any institution that disrespects the restrictions will be closed, and anybody who disrespects the restrictions will be deported."

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Last week, Interior Minister Arye Deri announced in a statement that his ministry would approve the entry into Israel of foreign students who were planning to begin their studies in Israel this coming October. The decision, he said, was made following professional discussions led by Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog, in conjunction with the Health and Foreign ministries.

The move prompted a response from Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Lieberman who, in a letter to Gamzu, stated that: “While couples are not allowed to get married in events with more than 20 participants, it makes no sense to allow 16,000 students to enter the country or allow 30,000 people to participate in a mass event, when it is clear to any reasonable person that this event will take place without supervision and without observance of the [Health Ministry’s] rules.”

Gamzu also responded to criticism aimed at him by Science and Technology Minister Izhar Shay that he was responsible for not canceling the closure over the weekend and prevented the government from convening to make a decision. 

"I decided not to convene the government? Wow, I really feel powerful," Gamzu said. "I really don't accept what Minister Shay said. 

Since Friday, several proposals have come to me from all sorts of places, this one wants to open here and this one wants to open there. I want to lower the morbidity rate. This week we will hold round table discussions to sort everything out. My belief is it will be sorted. We are heading in a good direction, but we need another push from the public, and certainly not to go backwards. All that is required of us is public discipline."

The man tasked with leading Israel's charge against the coronavirus also responded to criticism of his personal conduct: "I am willing for people to say 'I' and lead the system. Not many people came and volunteered to lead. I said 'I' to make it clear that I take responsibility. It should be appreciated and not counted how many times I said "I."

Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman contributed to this report.

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