Prof. Gabi Barbash, chosen by the government to lead Israel’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, has warned that if the details of his appointment are not approved tonight, he will walk away from the job, according to reports by several media outlets.
Channel 12 and Haaretz report that the Prime Minister’s Office is fighting with the Health Ministry over the amount of authority to be given to the former senior health official who once served as the Health Ministry’s director-general, with Health Minister Yuli Edelstein opposed to giving him sweeping powers.
Prof. Gabi Barbash, former director general at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, on April 7, 2020. (Channel 12)
Barbash is said to have told officials he will not be able to lead the fight against the pandemic effectively without powers over the health system, the Health Ministry, and other ministries as well.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is said to support handing Barbash the powers he requests.
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