Story By: Alex Cope, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash

This ultra-orthodox rabbi has been slammed for claiming that the coronavirus outbreak is a punishment from God for gay pride parades.

Israeli rabbi Meir Mazuz made the comments during a talk at the Kisei Rahamim Yeshiva, an educational institution in the city of Bnei Brak in the Tel Aviv District of Israel which he is the head of.

Mazuz said that gay pride parades are parades “against nature” and added that: “When someone goes against nature, the one who created nature takes revenge on him…

“Here they are doing [something] against nature in impertinence, the pride parade, what are you proud of?”

The rabbi also claimed that only Arab countries which “don’t have this evil inclination” are not being punished for their gay pride events, even claiming that there had only been one infection in the Arab world.

He said that the major outbreak in Iran, which has seen 237 confirmed deaths, was the country being punished for its “hatred of Israel”.

The rabbi’s comments have been criticised by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), with the group’s branch in Israel saying in a statement: “It is regrettable that in times like these when the whole world comes together to eradicate coronavirus, Rabbi Mazuz finds it appropriate to blame the virus’s outbreak on the LGBTQ community.

“We harshly condemn his statements and urge him to apologize. (sic)”

Israel has seen 50 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with no deaths suffered.

Mazuz was formerly the spiritual leader of the ultra-nationalist Yachad party, which was known for its homophobic views before going defunct.

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