Last week, Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz sent a letter to the directors of hospitals across Israel ordering them to allow chometz in their hospitals on Pesach, in violation of Israel’s religious status quo.
Yamina MK Idit Silman, who also serves as the coalition chair and the head of the Knesset’s Health Committee, slammed Horowitz on Sunday morning at a committee meeting. “Apart from the fact that his directive is a show of contempt for coalition members, it is contemptuous toward a significant percentage – almost 70% – of the Israeli public,” Silman said. “The whole country is in turmoil and the Health Minister finds it appropriate to harm the symbols of Am Yisrael.”
“Am Yisrael has symbols -symbols that entire generations killed themselves for – and we, definitely the current government – will not be part of their repeal. We must respect the public – we will not have a part in this. We cannot allow such a person to continue to be a minister. This won’t happen on my watch – it’s a crossing of a red line.”
Following Silman’s statement, a Kan reporter noted that her ultimatum lacks any meaning since Yamina lacks the power to demand Horowitz’s resignation or really demand anything unless they’re willing to dissolve the coalition.
Last week, UTJ MK Uri Maklev said: “The Health Minister is advancing his personal agenda at the expense of public health. Most people in Israel refrain from eating chometz on Pesach. The Health Minister is preventing religious and traditional people from receiving medical treatment in hospitals on Pesach. This isn’t only a violation of the state’s character but a practical issue – you can’t grant kashrus certification for Pesach if there’s chometz there.”
The chairman of the Noam party MK Avi Maoz said: “It is becoming increasingly clear that the members of the coalition will not stop until their goal is achieved, which is the destruction of the Jewish identity of the State of Israel. Once again Horowitz is trying to forcefully impose his anti-Jewish worldview…why does it bother the Health Minister that the hospitals want to respect the Jewish public?”
The Hadassah hospitals in Jerusalem already announced that they intend to continue their policy of not allowing chometz into their hospitals without coercion. “Out of consideration for everyone who enters the medical center, the public will be politely asked to refrain from bringing in chametz…we are sure that that the vast majority of the public will respond positively to the request and show sensitivity towards others.”
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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8 Responses
“not on my watch”
Thank you
We have a politician with backbone
Finally someone in government one could vote for
Typically no respect for anybody.also one of the chiloinim that has no respect from others also a pig eater,
friend of the rascha Lieberman
what is the news here, the Zionists cat is out of the bag and are being exposed for what they are, haters of Torah and the mesora.
For not just one arose against us to destroy us… rather, in every single generation, they rise against us to destroy us, and The Holy One, blessed be He, saves us from their hand.
The truth is that Zionism and its State are tremendous rebellions against Hashem, and are not “Jewish” but Zionist, even without this additional gezeira of the Zionists.
Ironically it is Idit Silmans’ support of this government (as she calls it her “watch” ) enabled this abomination. She must reverse her support of Bennett and this government.
Horowitz is trying to obscure the fact that he has failed in so many ways, he is no Litzman (other than the one big fall, Litzman was a really good Health Minister).
Removing Chametz is not just a symbol. And this was a non issue for decades. Anyone who really wanted to, could eat their leavened breads outside of hospitals. No one was “put out”, discriminated against or hurt in any way. Heterim were found as needed for patients who needed them.
This is pure incitement, and evil especially during these turbulent times.
good girl!
“Litzman was a really good Health Minister..”
OY: Its a bit late for a Purim spiel…..While Silman’s action was both stupid and arguably spiteful, to characterize Litzman as a “really good” Health Minister is a bit over the top. Hopefully, Silman’s order will be reversed or simply ignored by most of the hospitals (as Hadassah and others have already announced). Chometz on Pesach, just like fasting on Yom Kippur etc. are among the few icons of all Israelis, including most of the secular population.