Labor head stands by pick for health minister who said virus was created in lab

29 February 2020, 6:26 pm

Edit

Labor-Gesher-Meretz chairman Amir Peretz stands by his No. 3 Orly Levy-Abekasis, who as his party’s candidate for health minister claimed last week that the coronavirus was invented in a lab in China as a form of medical warfare.

Largely dodging the question, Peretz says Levy-Abekasis meant that Israel is not prepared to handle the coronavirus.

Peretz says there is nothing to the rumors about Likud efforts to convince Levy-Abekasis to jump ship and join a right-wing, religious coalition led by Netanyahu after the election and that she will stick with the party through and through.

The Labor-Gesher-Meretz chairman says he’s agreed with Blue and White chairman Benny Gantz on guiding principles for government together.