Ministry of Health director general Moshe Bar Siman Tov has announced that he is stepping down. He was appointed to the position in 2015 by Minister of Health Yaakov Litzman despite major criticism that he is an economist rather than a medical or public health professional. Bar Siman Tov is the first ever director general of Israel's Ministry of Health who was not a doctor and a Supreme Court petition against his appointment by the Israel Medical Association was dismissed. RELATED ARTICLES Now it's compulsory for Israelis: Stay at home Israel bans gatherings of more than 100 people OECD: Rise in life expectancy in Israel slowing Over the past two months, Bar Siman Tov has been in the front line of the battle against Covid-19 and has appeared daily on TV screens and has been one of the chief architects of Israel's virus policy. Bar Siman Tov said, "I today informed the prime minister and minister of health about my desire to resign my position as director general of the Ministry of Health. I'm proud of my years as the director general and especially the campaign during the coronavirus crisis. I will remain as long as required for an orderly transfer of power and wish the incoming minister and director general every success." It is customary for Israel's ministers to appoint their own director general and with Litzman moving to the Ministry of Housing in the new government, it was expected that Bar Siman Tov would be stepping down. Published by Globes, Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on May 12, 2020 © Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2020
