Channel 12 reporter Dana Weiss apologized via social media on Sunday for saying that science, not prayers to a deity, will solve the COVID-19 pandemic.
She wrote on social media she “believes in the rights of each man or woman to believe in anything they want to believe” and that she only meant to emphasize the importance of the men and women “of science in solving the crisis that is happening all over the world.”
On Friday, during an interview with her, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that at a time such as this everyone should pray to God to end the pandemic.
Weiss responded by saying that perhaps people should look to the Weizmann Institute of Science for answers. Netanyahu said that these things are not in opposition and that even people in that institute “pray to God.”
Interior Minister Arye Deri also slammed the reporter for her words, saying that it is shocking that in a “Jewish State” a prime minister using religious idioms will be met with such a response.
Due to the novel coronavirus, prayers at the Western Wall and synagogues were halted. As of Sunday, mosques in the Gaza Strip closed due to reports of COVID-19 in the Hamas-controlled enclave.The Vatican in Rome ended public Mass prayers and the Kaaba in Mecca was photographed without any visitors fearing pilgrims will spread the virus even further.