From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 3, 2026
Health chief who led Israel’s response to pandemic and war announces resignation
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleReporter at The Times of Israel
Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman-Tov will step down in the coming weeks.
“I conclude my tenure knowing that the Israeli healthcare system is robust, professional, and prepared for any challenge,” Bar Siman-Tov writes in his resignation letter to Health Minister Haim Katz.
Bar Siman-Tov led the Israeli healthcare system through some of the most complex and challenging periods in its history, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the multifront war.
He will join Columbia University in New York in the coming months as a research fellow, writing about how healthcare systems cope with national trauma, with a particular focus on the experience gained in Israel in recent years.
“I deeply value the significant contribution Moshe Bar Siman-Tov has made to Israel’s healthcare system throughout his years of public service,” Katz says in a statement.
The Times of Israel Community.