The government will on Sunday discuss the ongoing delay of construction of a reinforced operating room at Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon. Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman (UTJ), who has direct authority over approving construction of the operating room, has refused to approve it because there are a number of ancient graves located on the construction site that Litzman refuses to move. An alternative site suggested by Litzman is not practical, critics say, and will cost NIS 90 million more to build.

In advance of the meeting, the Israel Medical Association issued a statement emphasizing the important of construction of the operating room, which would be able to operate during Kassam rocket attacks by Gaza Arab terrorists. The Association says that it suggested building the room 12 years ago, and construction, which was supposed to have begun three years ago, was postponed, even though “it would serve 500,000 people living in the Gaza border area, as well as IDF soldiers fighting on the Gaza front, and even Gaza residents themselves,” the Association said.