Deputy Health Minister Ya'akov Litzman, who is essentially responsible for the health establishment in Israel, on Thursday expressed his support for actions taken by specialists in hospitals. The specialists, who are intent on stopping work despite a court order forbidding them to do so, have employed a number of techniques to continue their protests demanding better work schedules and salaries, such as “calling in sick,” reporting to hospital administrators that they themselves need care.
“It's a shame the specialists did not do this earlier, we would have been much further along in the negotiation process,” Litzman said. He added that the unions representing doctors and the Treasury had nearly completed a deal, which was now being rejected by union rank and file. “Tomorrow we will see if the union is in charge of the situation or not,” he added.