Litzman confirms decision to leave Health Ministry for Housing Ministry

Health Minister Yaakov Litzman confirms he has informed Prime Minister Netanyahu that he wishes to move to the Housing Ministry.

After serving as de facto head of the ministry for most of the past decade, Litzman, who heads the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party, says that he now prefers to work on addressing the “housing crisis” in Israel.

In a lengthy statement, Litzman touts the Health Ministry’s handling of the coronavirus outbreak while denouncing what he calls “incitement” toward ultra-Orthodox Jews amid the pandemic.

Litzman’s decision to switch ministries comes after he faced criticism over his response to the coronavirus and a TV report alleged he took part in a group prayer that violated his own ministry’s directives days before he was infected with COVID-19.