Horrific
"Their Blood Cries Out": Haredi Leaders Blame Government Cuts for Jerusalem Daycare Tragedy
Following the death of two infants in an unregulated Jerusalem daycare, Ultra-Orthodox politicians accuse the government of forcing families into unsafe facilities by cutting subsidies: "The writing was on the wall."
The heartbreaking tragedy at a private daycare in Jerusalem, which claimed the lives of two babies today, has ignited a furious political firestorm. Ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) leaders are now pointing an accusing finger at the government and legal advisors, claiming that recent cuts to daycare subsidies have forced families to resort to unsafe, unregulated facilities.
The disaster occurred in the Romema neighborhood, where a suspected ventilation failure involving a heating device led to the deaths of two babies and the hospitalization of over 50 others. The facility was reportedly operating without a license in a private home.
MK Moshe Arbel (Shas) was the first to link the tragedy to the government's "Daycare Decree," which cut subsidies for families where the father studies Torah (Avreichim) rather than works.
"In the State of Israel, the children of illegal immigrants are entitled to daycares and kindergartens, yet in the name of the struggle against the Haredi public, the children of Torah students are expelled from supervised daycares," Arbel stated.
Using biblical imagery to express his outrage, Arbel added: "The voice of the blood of babies... cries out from the ground. We must all stop this persecution. Children's lives must remain outside of any political struggle."
MK Yoav Ben Tzur joined the condemnation, revealing that he had previously warned legal authorities about exactly this type of scenario.
"My heart bleeds over the terrible tragedy in this unsupervised daycare," Ben Tzur said. "In the stubborn struggle I led to continue subsidies for daycares... I warned and cried out in dozens of documents backed by legal arguments to the Attorney General about the grave danger of denying subsidies... and pushing thousands of families into daycares without supervision."
Ben Tzur characterized the policy as "power-hungry and irresponsible," adding: "Regrettably, today that fear turned into a cry of truth. The writing was on the wall. Helpless toddlers paid with their lives."
The incident took place in a complex of illegal private kindergartens on Ha-Mem Gimmel Street. While initial fears pointed to a hazardous materials leak, Fire and Rescue services later ruled out external toxins, focusing instead on a heating element in an unventilated room. Three caregivers have been detained for questioning as police investigate the negligence that led to the fatalities.