Health minister says Israel won't force vaccinations

Health Minister Yuli Edelstein says Israel won’t force any of its citizens to get vaccinated or sanction those who refuse the shots.

“Those who choose not to get vaccinated — that’s their right. There will be no personal sanctions against someone who doesn’t get vaccinated. We don’t do such things,” says Edelstein.

But he also says that “soon there will be workplaces in which workers who engage with the public must be vaccinated or tested every 48 hours.”

Edelstein’s comments come in a press conference about the new “green pass” program, going into effect on Sunday, which will enable entry for the vaccinated and recovered COVID patients to gyms, theaters and other venues.

He cautions in his remarks that forgeries of the vaccination certificate will be met with prison time.

As of Thursday, 4.1 million Israelis have received the first vaccine dose and 2.7 million are fully inoculated.