Doctors at Israel’s public hospitals walk off job for 24 hours

Doctors in all of Israel's public hospitals launched a 24-hour strike at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday morning. They will only perform emergency operations during the work stoppage. All-night negotiations between representatives of the doctors and the Finance Ministry were unsuccessful, and the two sides will meet again next week to continue their talks. The doctors claim that the country's Economic Arrangements Law will hinder their ability to provide high-quality services to patients as well as prevent the shortening of resident shifts. Health Minister Yaacov Litzman said the strike is unnecessary because the law's clause for the reduction of private work by department heads has been removed. He added that his ministry is engaged in intensive contacts with the Finance Ministry for expansion of the Health Ministry's budget and for the addition of more beds at hospitals. Meanwhile, a local court in Jerusalem ruled Thursday morning that doctors at the city's Hadassah Ein Kerem and Hadassah Har Hatzofim hospitals must return to work at 10:00 a.m.