Court: Doctors, Treasury have one week to end strike

Supreme Court President Dorit Beinish extends timeframe given to Finance Ministry, doctors to resolve wage dispute by seven days

Reuters | Published: 08.08.11, 23:03

The Supreme Court decided Monday to extend the timeframe given to the Treasury and the doctors to devise an agreement which will end to the strike plaguing the health system.

"Both sides have requested a few extra days, and both reported some progress had been made," Chief Justice Dorit Beinish stated.

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"We hope that the Israel Medical Association will abstain from striking in order to make for productive talks."

The ruling was rendered following a petition asking the Supreme Court to order an end to the doctors' four month-long sanctions.

Beinish criticized the doctors, telling their attorney, Orna Lin, that "It doesn't inspire trust when the only solution is via hocus pocus and running to the prime minister. That's not negotiations."

After the hearing, IMA Chairman Dr. Leonid Eidelman said that the doctors received a some reinforcement: "The court didn't order any injunctions because it understands that the biggest issues are financial."

Treasury wages director Ilan Levin remarked that the primary goal "was for the public not to pay the price of these negotiations."

"We'll continue the talks in the upcoming days and I'm very hopeful that the IMA will comply with the court's request and not take further organizational measures until the negotiations are complete. We both have an incentive to end this dispute. We have no intention of hurting the public."

During a previous hearing last Tuesday, Beinish expressed doubts over the goals of the doctors' strike, but postponed any ruling regarding the petition. Since then, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to intervene, helping create a breakthrough which led to Dr. Eidelman to stop his two-week hunger strike.

However some doctors, who were not pleased with the pending agreement, made a dramatic move on Sunday as they submitted their letters of resignation. These letters are expected to come into effect within 30 days, a bold move which has the ability to shake the health system to its core.