United Torah Judaism's Knesset Member Yaakov Litzman will serve as Deputy Health Minister and take charge of the Health Ministry, the Prime Minister’s office announced late Sunday evening. Litzman obtained the approval of the Gerrer Rebbe before making his decision official on Monday.
UTJ received the post of deputy health minister in its coalition agreement with the Likud party, but none of its members wanted to take the position. The Health Ministry, although the third largest after defense and education, is seen as a difficult ministry to head while having little political capital. UTJ's Knesset Members Litzman and Moshe Gafni both would have preferred the prestigious position of head of the Knesset Finance Committee.
After an internal battle within UTJ, Gafni won the Finance Committee position by a 3-2 vote, which left Litzman fuming and threatening not to serve in any official role. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, under public scrutiny to appoint a head to the health system, put pressure on Litzman to head the Health Ministry. He even sent his office head, Natan Eshel, to put in a word with Litzman’s spiritual leader, the Gerrer Rebbe.
Late Sunday night, Litzman agreed in principle to take the spot. UTJ Knesset Members do not serve as full ministers due to the hareidi-religious party's platform not to fully participate in the government. Therefore, Litzman will serve only as a deputy minister, but with the status of a minister. Netanyahu will act as the official Health Minister, and when the powers of a minister are required, he will sign or vote as necessary.
Many elements within the healthcare system have demanded that the government appoint a fully empowered minister to head the Health Ministry. According to health officials, the country is facing a severe shortage of both hospital beds and doctors over the next five years, and a full minister is necessary to meet the challenges. On Sunday, the Medical Labor Union filed an appeal with the Supreme Court demanding that the government appoint a Health Minister immediately.