Doctors join tent protest in Haifa
On morning of 130th day of strike hundreds of doctors take to streets as they call on Netanyahu, Treasury to save medical system
Hundreds of doctors took to the streets Wednesday morning for protest marches throughout the country over the lack of progress in negotiations with the Treasury after 130 days on strike.
In Haifa, doctors from Rambam Medical Center joined 'tent city' protesters demonstrating over high housing costs and threatened more drastic measures.
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In Petah Tikva Dozens of doctors left the Rabin medical Center and the Sharon Medical Center and held a protest march along Jabotinsky Street in the city.
Doctors from the Sheba Medical Center in Tel HaShomer marched to the Bar Ilan junction carrying stretchers. Additional medical centers joined the march along the route accompanied by vocal support from passing drivers.
The meeting between the Medical Association, the director-general of the Prime Minister's Office, and representatives from the Treasury ended Tuesday without any progress.
At the end of the meeting IMA Chairman Dr. Leonid Eidelman told reporters: "We failed to make any progress and the meeting offered no contribution to solving the crisis. We tried to examine the possibility of compromising on certain issues but the gulf is too wide and may have even increased. Nothing new was said at the meeting."
Doctors take to the streets in Petah Tikva (Photo: Nir Horesh)
Dr. Zeev Feldman from the Sheba Medical Center said the doctors were marching as a token of their identification with Dr. Eidelman, who is marching to Jerusalem while staging a hunger strike.
"We are forced to continue working and can't join the march. But we certainly identify with the march and call on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wake up and take care of the health crisis before it's too late."
Carrying stretcher: Bibi, lend a shoulder (Photo: Hadar Cohen)
Professor Daniel Mimoni from the Rabin Medical Center Doctors' Committee said they were also marching to express their support for Dr. Eidelman and show that all doctors were united in their struggle.
"We join those calling on Netanyahu to take a side in the struggle and lead us to a swift negotiation solution…or demands are fair conditions for doctors and improvement of Israel's medical system," he said.
Meanwhile on Tuesday residents have thought up a new way to protest: Dozens of Sheba Medical Center residents convened for a meeting during which they staged a mass resignation.
The residents said that they would sign letters of resignation and entrust them to a third party, adding the letters would be submitted as a last resort if their demands are not met.
Ahiya Raved contributed to this report
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