Thousands of doctors protest at Knesset
Non-urgent surgeries delayed, doctors absent from hospital shifts in wake of mass protest
Opposition chairwoman Tzipi Livni spoke at the protest and accused the government of failing to support public medicine.
"Everyone wants to be young and healthy, but it is the government's job to take care of the old and sick. This government is failing at this job. I call on the prime minister to roll up his sleeves and engage in negotiations."
Livni added, "I've visited hospitals in the past few months. I've seen children sleeping in the hallways and red-eyed doctors rushing from one to the other. Our job is to join your cry."
MK Ahmed Tibi, a gynecologist by trade, was also present at the protest. "As a man who has been here as well as there, I have to say that those who support the doctors support the patients and the public as well. A doctors' strike is a strike of the public," he said.
"If we don't want to reach a catastrophe the likes of which happened to the firefighting services, we mustn't allow the Treasury to waste time and manipulate us," said the head of the Clalit doctors' union, Israel Elayag.
"We are talking about human lives here, about the lives of infants, women, senior citizens, and the ailing. We are talking about the crisis of interns in hospitals. The Israeli public is not receiving good health care, it is not receiving health care at all."
Students strike to protest
The protest and resulting strike is taking its toll on hospitals throughout Israel, where non-urgent surgeries have been postponed and many doctors are absent from their shifts. HMO doctors are also on partial strike. Many physicians will not return to work until 3 pm, after the rally.
Medical students have also taken up the cause, with around a thousand being driven from various universities to the capital in order to protest. The students have also declared a strike.
On Tuesday a meeting between representatives from the Finance Ministry and those of the Israel Medical Association ended without an agreement, with doctors rejecting a 20% pay raise, saying it is just 1% higher than a previously rejected offer.
Eight percent of the funds demanded are intended for all doctors and the rest is earmarked for doctors working in areas or positions that lack sufficient manpower.
An additional meeting has been scheduled for Thursday, after which the association will decide whether to continue striking.
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