Yifat Shasha-Biton
Yifat Shasha-Bitonצילום: עדינה ולמן, דוברות הכנסת

Israel’s Education Minister is working to blunt efforts to hold mass vaccination campaigns for children on school grounds and at school events, Israel Hayom reported, amid claims she called the coronavirus vaccine ‘controversial.

Education Minister Yifat Shasha-Biton (New Hope), the former chair of the Knesset’s Coronavirus Committee, drew the ire of government health advisers during a recent discussion on efforts to encourage school children to get vaccinated against COVID, with several officials claiming she called the vaccines “controversial”.

Three unnamed officials were cited in the report, though Shasha-Biton denied the claim.

The minister confirmed, however, that she is opposed to efforts to conduct mass vaccination campaigns via the education system, saying vaccination drives should not be held on school grounds or at school events.

“The role of the education system is to educate,” said Shasha-Biton, adding she is opposed to school “vaccination parties”.